Tomo

I am hoping you are feeling much better [emoji847]

So I had to go to visit my surgeon the other day for my 2 year after revision check up. He was happy with my continued results. And then ... I had the urge for a Potbelly sub. I know, I know lol. I ordered a Bacon lettuce tomatoes avocado sandwich, and it is was so good. I rarely eat out these days. Once a month at best. I used to eat out every day but times have changed. I ate half for lunch and then ate the other half the next day. Total calories for half of an original is 335 calories as per their menu. I want to go back. Oh goodness....

It was 100% worth it for me. Easier recovery for me as well. I feel normal, normal as in pre any WLS but with the added benefits of smaller meals. Hard to explain. No side effects except the common constipation which is easy to treat daily with a tsp of miralax in my coffee. Severe gerd was hell to live with day in day out, night in night out, year in year out. I finally got tired of acid coming up through my nose when I was finally asleep. In the end, no ppi helped no matter what I took. I was told right away not to expect much weight loss. "Perhaps 40 lbs" . If your previous WLS was done properly, the weight loss will usually be much slower after a revision. I did it for the relief of the gerd. I really had no choice.

I usually eat whatever I feel like. Today I had coffee with half cup of 1% milk and collagen powder (breakfast). For lunch, I had a 120g slice of bacon, egg, onion quiche (homemade). For snacks, my go-tos are crispy grapes and strawberries. I eat all types of fruit, and often changes depending how I feel. Like yesterday, I had some of a fresh cacao fruit. Other days, I love frozen durian. Not sure what I'll have for dinner, thinking of two black bean tacos (I like the black bean fiesta) but I may make some oxtail soup with veggies. It's good for prepping several little bowls for later meals. Before maintenance, during stalls, I would cut back my calorie intake on my weekly average till it breaks. To help, I use a lot of konjac noodles because they are basically calorie and carbohydrate free. In maintenance, if I gain a couple pounds, I do the same to get to my accepted weight range. I have no secrets, it's boring, I watch my calories. I have to unfortunately. My exercise is to live an active lifestyle by constantly moving wherever I am, but I don't ever do a formal exercise plan because I can't exercise my way out when I eat too much lol (As the saying goes) and it makes me more hungry anyway. I move for health, not to lose weight.

I got it in the first 6 months and stayed that way through years. Then a little more than 2 years ago, I had a revision for gerd and it somewhat corrected it. My doctor said it may be my hormone levels changing. For example, estrogen is stored in fat. I'm still colder than I was before I had any WLS though but I don't have that achy to the bone freezing feeling as much anymore.

Haven't been posting pictures here cause I get in a "rut" and tend to eat the same thing over and over until I can't eat it again for months lol. Here is my stir fry Bulgogi with konjac noodles (aka shirataki noodles aka miracle noodles), Chinese sausage, napa cabbage. Total calories 185. I didn't finish it all but I counted it all anyway because I will probably finish it later today.

I like to get mine every 6 months still. I figure that if there's a trend towards deficiency of any vitamins or minerals I could avoid it before it happens. I'm particularly careful because I've been relying mainly on the patch for many years. But when my vitamin A was going a little low, I started taking a chewable ADEK to nip it in the bud. Now it's on the high side so I stopped that for now.

You can reverse it if that is what is causing it. Most who had bypass do not have that issue so if you haven't already, I would get a check up to find out what is the problem. Often, many symptoms have nothing to do with the surgery.

Yeah, since surgery I have 2 or 3 cups a day. If acid is a problem, I have read there are good low-acid coffee.

I had fatty liver and it was one of the reasons they wanted me to have the surgery. I think the only thing they wouldn't continue is if you have an infection, like covid, pneumonia... Etc. Or if your doctor is adamant about nicotine, then you have to pass that test, or they postpone.

Last pounds are difficult and the maintenance isn't really better, if not worse. It is a constant grind and long battle to maintain and not gain 5 lbs that can lead to 20, 30... etc. This is our reality, no matter whether it's the band, the sleeve, the bypass and any of the revisions... And it bites. I was thinking the other day that after all this time, I just want to eat everything I want for a week lol but then, I know if I go that route, I'm feeding my emotions not my body and it would be near impossible to take it off again like in my honeymoon stage. So I put that out of my head since being thin is a priority. So big Hugs, hang in there, you have come such a long way. We have all come a long way. Let us count the blessings that we made it this far and we have major improvements in our lives. [emoji3059]

I was allowed on the first day, offered a cup in the hospital. My surgeon has no issues with it at all.

Can start by sprinkling a little taijin seasoning on there. It's yummy!

Although BMI is just a guide, unfortunately it's a guide many Doctors go by. So what I did was make each category my next goal under I got to normal BMI. If anything, so I don't have to hear my pcp(s) tell me I'm overweight as if I wasn't already aware of it.

They sent me home with a pair on, but never said anything either way to keep wearing them. Their advice was to walk often. I wear compression stuff often anyway, cause I tend to have quite a bit of water retention in general.

My surgeons required to pass the nicotine test as well or surgery would be postponed. Sometimes it depends on your anesthesiologist so they will at least be prepared to know you still have nicotine in your system.

I would contact a doctor immediately. Dark stools are not considered normal, nor is pain like that. Good luck. Hope everything is ok. Better to have it checked to make sure.

I hurt my ankle recently and the boot on the tightest setting was too loose. I still remember never being able to wear fashion boots. It really bothered me when I went skiing back then, I had such a difficult time cause my boots could never close properly cause my calves were so big versus my foot size. I remember once I had to remove the lining of my ski boots to close them[emoji22]. I always hid this fact with the people I went with. It was not only too embarrassing but extremely painful to ski with no boot padding inside.

Everything others have said, and I don't think you need to worry too much about survival on little food. Most WLS patients lose about 65-70% of their excess weight, and it's rare to lose 100%. Also, many have to work very hard not to regain. So fortunately, we do survive very well [emoji3059]. Appetite increases as well as volume capacity as time goes.

Years later, I still kind of live in the "pureed" stage at times. I am a soup lover, I like congee with veggies and eggs, hummus with cheese crisps that basically melt in your mouth (made in my air fryer), black beans with tomatoes, onions and chilies, soft tofu (a lot of different ways), cottage cheese with different spices... Etc. A lot of yummy things.

Omgosh, I love love that outfit!

It resolved my severe gerd and silent reflux.

Fantastic!

For both (vsg and revision), I was down for no more than a day or two. I slept the first day I got home, up on the 2nd day at the computer but took a nap, but by 3rd, I was good for desk work, general household chores.I can't do codeine but regular Tylenol handled any incision pain. There is a lot of general fatigue though in the first month or so. I was allowed coffee from the beginning and that helped my fatigue a lot. I don't think you will have any problem getting two weeks approved.

I steam my eggs for 20 minutes, then peel them under running cold Water after I smack them on the side of the sink, and they come out good.