DLCoggin

Ditto for me. All of those same things plus turkey jerky, fruit, yogurt and my best friend since day one - coffee! It's about control, not denial.

Coming up on 19 months post-op. Lost 130 lbs and stable at 155 with a BMI of 23 for the last five months. Type 2 diabetes gone. Hypertension gone. Sleep apnea gone. Back and knee pain gone. Blood work is perfect across the board. I love the new me!

Just emailed!!

Just emailed guys. Have a great day!!

You certainly deserve to be heard and not brushed off and it's good to hear that you plan to discuss it with your doctor. That said, hopefully you won't be too disappointed if he/she simply cannot give you a definitive answer regarding the pattern of your weight loss. The fact that your weight loss is different from mine (or anyone else's) means nothing. We are all individuals and all different. Comparing your weight loss to someone else's is a sure formula for frustration. There are simply too many variables. But that is changing almost as you read this. Although the effectiveness of rny is statistically indisputable, researchers at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center have only very recently begun to understand why it works in terms of hormonal and amino acid changes during digestion - Full Article . Another very recent study conducted on mice by researchers at Harvard and Massachusetts General Hospital has shown that rny almost immediately transforms gut bacteria into microbes most often found in slender people - Full Article . And finally a third very recent study by Massachusetts General Hospital has identified a gene variant that helps identify how much weight a person is likely to lose following gastric bypass surgery. They are hoping to develop a test for that gene within a year - Full Article . All of these studies have opened a small crack in the door that could eventually lead to a non-surgical option or options that would provide the same benefits of bariatric surgery. They may also allow doctors to effectively predict how much weight a patient is likely to lose. That's the good news. The bad news is that it almost certainly will take several years, if ever, for those options to become available.

Joy our hearts go out to you but I would encourage you to not give up. Have you discussed options with both your surgeon and your primary care physician? Insurance companies follow a protocol which is really nothing more than a checklist. A lot of folks have been denied only to be approved after some fine tuning in the information submitted to the insurance company. Most insurance companies will approve rny for folks with a BMI of 35 or greater and two co-morbidities. You mentioned sleep apnea. Hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cardiac, some forms of arthritis and/or osteoporosis are just some of the possibilities. Keep trying! Never give up! If they want a fight, give 'em one! You will find the "right formula" and once you're approved, it's illegal for the insurance company to back out. We all can appreciate your frustration but tough situations never last. Tough people do!

122 lbs in six months is an average of five lbs a week over a six month period. That is extraordinary and a tribute to your commitment - congratulations!! Sounds like your body is taking a break from a lot of dramatic changes in a very short period of time. I think all of us can appreciate your frustration. But there are times in this journey when you just have to trust the process. Take a deep breath. Relax. And allow your body to find its own way in its own time. What you've accomplished is monumental! Celebrate your success and know that as long as you continue to follow the protocol as closely as you can, the rest will take care of itself. I would be very grateful if you would share the name of the whey protein bullet that you are drinking. There are a number of inferior products out there and it sounds like you may have found an exception. That would be great news for a lot of folks!

The biggest concern with the mini and the biggest reason that many surgeons refuse to use it is that there simply has not been enough research done to confirm it as a viable alternative to RNY. In addition, studies regarding long-term effectiveness seem to be non-existent. That may well change over time but those wheels turn slowly and for good reasons. By contrast, RNY has a 30 year history and countless studies confirming it's effectiveness both short and long-term. If you haven't done so already, you might want to ask your surgeon how many RNY and mini surgeries he/she has performed and what is the ratio of RNY vs. mini. Another concern is insurance coverage. From the little research I've done on mini's, it appears that the majority of insurance companies still do not cover the mini for all of the reasons mentioned here.

My surgeon told me six months as well. I didn't touch a drop until after that and even then it was a glass of wine before dinner. Still wound up with an ulcer at the anastomosis diagnosed at about a year post-op. The ulcer has since healed completely and I still like a glass of wine before dinner but it's a good idea to wait quite a while. Alcohol is a definite inflammatory and the last thing you want to mess around with while you're still in the healing process. When the time comes and if you're not overly sensitive to sugar, margaritas are a relatively low calorie drink - especially if you go easy on the triple sec.

Protein "shots" or "bullets" usually contain collagen protein as the most predominant ingredient. Collagen is an incomplete protein meaning that it lacks one or more of the nine essential amino acids the body needs. Collagen also has a PDCAAS score of 0.08 which means that it is virtually indigestible. And to top it all off, it tastes terrible. Whey, soy and milk protein supplements - ready-to-drink or powder - are all excellent sources of protein and there are many options on the market. Don't stop trying until you find one that you can tolerate. Getting ALL of your doctor recommended protein in every day is crucially important for a whole list of reasons. You're gonna love the new you!

If it is an ulcer, an endoscopy will identify it. So, a couple of options you might want to consider. Call them back, schedule an appointment with your surgeon and share your concerns with him/her. Alternatively, do the same with your primary care. The PCP can refer you to a GI specialist who can order the endoscopy or may even be able to order the endoscopy him or her self. At the very least, any of those doctors can explain why they think there's nothing to worry about and/or give you a timeline of continuing pain before they feel additional testing is needed. If you have to be assertive then be assertive. Once they understand you're not going to be brushed off there's usually no more problems.

I'll be 63 in two days, had my surgery 10/20/11, lost 130 lbs, stable at 155 for the last six months and enjoying every precious moment with my three year old grandson!!

I was diagnosed with an ulcer at the anastomosis at about one year post-op. My symptoms sound similar to yours. Pain was not severe but it was there and an endoscopy confirmed the ulcer. I was on Prevacid (one a day) from day one post-op and surgeon told me to increase to twice a day. Second endoscopy about four months later showed the ulcer completely healed. Waiting until your break will not likely make a big difference but definitely a good idea to call your doctor and get it checked out. Definitely treatable if it is an ulcer!

Hypoglycemia is strongly linked with what doctors refer to as "late dumping". Late dumping usually occurs within two to three hours following the ingestion of too much sugar. But can occur after twelve hours or more. About two-thirds of folks who experience dumping get "early dumping" - which usually occurs fifteen to thirty minutes after eating. One third experience late dumping. And about 50% of RNY patients do not experience dumping at all. I experience late dumping and having checked my blood sugar the first couple of times, I'm certain that it is hypoglycemia - the second time it happened my blood sugar was 37. The good news is that it's easily "treated" and the body response is very quick - usually within 15 to 30 minutes. The treatment is quite simple - eat something with sugar - a piece of fruit such as an orange or perhaps a few grapes or in the absence of anything else even a small square of chocolate will bring almost immediate relief of the symptoms of hypoglycemia. Definitely not pleasant, but relatively easy to correct. And better yet, relatively easy to avoid in the first place by avoiding foods with excessive sugar. Following surgery, it's quite important that you eat on a regular basis so you'll want to plan for it. You're already experiencing hypoglycemia pre-op but that doesn't necessarily mean that you will post-op. Especially if you're diabetic since diabetes often goes into remission following RNY. You're going to love the new you!

Severe pain - call your doctor. That's what they're there for. It is most likely nothing to worry about but it's definitely something to be evaluated by the "boss". If he/she says it's nothing to worry about, the peace of mind alone will help you heal that much faster!

It is an unfortunate, but undeniable fact that the vast majority of folks who have never struggled with obesity believe that "diet and exercise" are always the answer. Science tells us exactly the opposite. For people with a BMI of 30 or greater, the failure rate of diet and exercise is almost 100%. It simply does not work. And doctors have known that for years. But until bariatric surgery, they simply had no other option to offer. Those who are unsupportive often have the very best of intentions. They are concerned about the risks associated with surgery. And at the same time fail to understand (or chose to ignore) that obesity is a progressive, degenerative disease that has reached epidemic levels and is the number two cause of preventable death in the U.S. There are decisions in life that have to be made on a personal level. For those who cannot support the surgery option - their concern is understandable, even appreciated. But that does not change the fact that bariatric surgery is the single most effective treatment currently known to medical science for obesity (and more than 30 associated co-morbidities). And not by a little but by a very wide margin. Friends, family and loved ones must understand and respect your right to make what may well be the most important decision in your life. Manipulation and ultimatums are not options. And they are not acts of love.

Just emailed!

Just emailed!

Just emailed!

Just a few days shy of 18 months post-op. Hypertension - gone. Type 2 diabetes - gone. Sleep apnea - gone. 130 pounds gone and stable at 155 (5' 9") for several months now. Back, knee and joint pain - gone. Cholesterol - low normal. Virtually all blood work - spot on. Complications - ulcer at the anastomosis that healed completely within five months after diagnosis. I have to be a little careful with sugar to avoid dumping (in the form of hypoglycemia). Other than that, I eat anything I want - it's about control, not denial. Stay focused on following the protocol as closely as you can, maintain a food log, stay active and stay away from the scales as long as possible. Relax and trust your body to find its own way in its own time. Would I do it again? In a second and twenty years earlier if I had the option!

Guys, I just emailed the list to everyone (I think). If I missed anyone, just shoot me an email!

Collagen protein is an incomplete protein meaning that it does not have one or more of the nine essential amino acids. Essential because your body requires them but cannot synthesize them on its own. More importantly, collagen protein has a PDCAAS (Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score) score of 0.08 which means that it is virtually indigestible. All the protein in the world is useless if your body can't digest it. The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act requires that ingredients be listed in descending order of predominance and weight. So if collagen is listed first, it is the most predominant ingredient.

There is virtually no scientific evidence that the simplistic "eat less, move more" approach often given to folks has any realistic chance of success with people with a BMI of 30 or greater. If going on a diet or starting an exercise program resulted in persistent, long-term weight loss - we would not have an obesity epidemic. This link will give you some insight into why - http://www.drsharma....or-obesity.html . This doctor is an MD and a PhD, Professor of Medicine and Chair in Obesity Research and Management at the University of Alberta, Clinical Co-Chair of the Alberta Health Services Obesity Program, founder and Scientific Director of the Canadian Obesity Network and Past President of the Canadian Association of Bariatric Physicians and Surgeons - just to name a few of his qualifications. On the same page you'll see more than a dozen other links, most related to the treatment of obesity. This is a link to a white paper titled "Medicare's Search for Effective Obesity Treatments - Diets Are Not the Answer" - http://motivatedandf...s_dont_work.pdf . There is a considerable amount of information in this paper, much of it quite technical. But the following is a quote from the paper which sums up their findings relative to diet and exercise: "First, diets do lead to short term weight loss. One summary of diet studies from the 1970's to the mid-1990's found that these weight loss programs consistently resulted in participants losing an average of 5% to 10% of their weight. Second, these loses are not maintained. As noted in one review, 'It is only the rate of weight regain, not the fact of weight regain, that appears open to debate." Another study found that virtually 100% of obese patients that successfully lost weight with diet and exercise regained all of the lost weight, or more, within one year. A fact that will come as no surprise to the majority of folks reading this post! Now compare all of that to gastric bypass statistics: average excess weight loss for RNY is 80% with 50% - 75% maintained at five years post-op. According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, bariatric surgery can improve or resolve more than 30 obesity related conditions including Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, hypertension, and high cholesterol. Again, I do not question the motives of friends, family and spouses that think diet and exercise are the answer. I do question the validity of their position. And challenge anyone to present any scientific, objective evidence demonstrating any non-surgical option that has an equal or better long-term success rate for the treatment of obesity and the many serious co-morbidities associated with it. Weight loss surgery has risks. Some of them quite serious. I was diagnosed with an ulcer at the anastomosis at one year post-op. Three months later, a second endoscopy showed the ulcer completely healed. But let’s be clear, obesity also has risks. Some of them quite serious. Obesity is the number two cause of preventable death in the U.S. There are no guarantees. There simply are no absolutes. No one can make the decision for anyone else. Do your own research. I did and came to the conclusion that the odds were overwhelmingly in my favor for a successful outcome following surgery. Today, I’m approaching eighteen months post-op. Type 2 diabetes – gone. Hypertension – gone. Sleep apnea – gone. Cholesterol – low normal. Back and knee pain – gone. 130 pounds – gone. I very purposely never established a “goal weight”. I simply trusted the fact that my body would know when I was at the weight I needed to be at. And I’ve been stable at 155 for five months. Would I do it again? In a second.

Wow - great advice!!

"Go to the Protein section, its all basically written in Chinese to me. Whey protein powder, soy protein powder, pure protein, lean protein, protein plus. Huh?" Maybe the following will help you getting through the protein jungle: Whey was once considered a waste product from the process used for making cheese. It is a highly digestible, complete protein made from cow's milk. Whey concentrate is about 80% protein with relatively low levels of fat, carbohydrates, and cholesterol (but still higher than whey isolate). So whey concentrate not only has a high percentage of protein but also provides healthy fats that boost the immune system. But if you're lactose intolerant, whey isolate may be easier to digest. Whey isolate goes through an additional micro filtering process that is not used in producing whey concentrate. As a result, whey isolate is about 90% protein. Micro filtering removes the lactose and fat but also destroys many of the immune system boosting properties of whey. Whey isolate can also be significantly more expensive than concentrate because of the additional processing required. The digestibility of various Proteins is published in the Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS). The PDCAAS has been adopted by the Institute of Medicine at the National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. food and Drug Administration, and the World Health Organization. Proteins are ranked on a scale of 0 (least digestible) to 1 (most digestible). Whey, Soy, Milk, and Casein proteins all have a PDCAAS score of 1.0. The bottom line is that with whey isolate you get more protein per gram (but not necessarily any better) and it may be better handled by those who are lactose intolerant. With whey concentrate you get slightly less protein per gram but added benefits from the higher fat content. As several folks have noted, the first test that any protein you're going to drink or eat has to pass is - taste. If you are not lactose intolerant and you find a protein that you like, the difference in protein content for whey isolate vs. whey concentrate vs. milk concentrate should likely be a minor consideration. One word of caution - stay away from the protein "bullets" and "shots" that you will see in stores and read about online. If you look closely at their ingredient list, you will see that they are made with collagen protein. These products are attractive to bypass patients because they contain very large amounts of protein in very small volumes - usually 3 to 4 ounces. The problem is that collagen protein is an incomplete protein (meaning that it is missing one or more of the nine essential amino acids that your body requires and cannot manufacture) and more importantly, collagen has a PDCAAS digestibility score of 0.08. All the protein in the world is useless if your body cannot digest it.