scootergirl

Yikes. That sounds terrible. I don't currently experience either hypo nor hyper glycemic issues. I have a friend who had roux-en-y surgery and she is having terrible light headedness from low blood sugar. Her doc wants her to refocus on eating plenty of Protein and eating it first (going back to her early ways again now that she is several years post surgery). He is hopeful that it will "fix" her. I have seen a big drop in my blood glucose. I was running about 99 for fasting glucose prior to surgery. I now run about 84 not even fasting. I am surprised by the "improvement" as my doc said he doesn't see improvements to "normal fasting blood sugars. I wonder if I may start having hypoglycemic issues with time. Hang in there. I am sure there will be a fix. Do you qualify for Obamacare health insurance? I'd love to see you get good care for your medical issues.

I just had my 3 month follow-up visit. My nutritionist told me something unsettling. She said that differnt groups of sleeve patients lose weight differently. She said that youger folks lose better than older, that men lose more quickly than women, and that post-menopausal women (even those following the recommendations) have the most trouble of all. As I am 1. female, 2. middle aged, and 3. post-menopausal I have three strikes against my success. I realize that there are exceptions to every "rule"/guideline but, jeez, this really bummed me out. I guess my final point is, if you are a member of my group (1., 2., and 3. above) don't squander your honeymoon period. It sounds like, for us, things will be harder from the get go and wont get any easier later. Waaaa. Perhaps this helps explain my 42 pound weight loss over my first three months. I am happy to have lost but (often) discuraged by the greater losses reported by others at similar days past surgery. I'd love to hear how "my group members" have done. Anyone have any thoughts, especially any veterans who had surgery while "in my group"?

Thank you all, for your replies. It is nice to hear that 1. I am not the only "three stiker" 2. that other "three strikers" have had great success, and 3. that I am losing weight at a rate similar to my fellow "three strikers". If they have been successful at losing weight for the duration and have gotten to goal (even if goal was orignially ~140 pounds away!) I will keep my chin(s) up and stay strong. Thanks, y'all. This truely is a support group and not just an information site. I had not fully appreciated the support until now. I am grateful and inspired.

I am ~ 3weeks post surgery. All my post surgery pain has resolved except for one place - down the center of my belly (between the bottom of the rib cage and my belly button). It doesn't hurt at all if I am not moving or touching it. If I have to use my stomach muscles for a motion/action (ex. getting into and out of the car) it hurts very much. If I even gently touch the skin it is really tender and sore. I asked my doc about it and he was surprised. His only guess was that I was very stretched during the surgery by the gas they added to my belly. Has anyone else had a pain like mine?

I just saw my surgeon today for my second follow-up appt. I asked again about my persistent midline pain (the pain is now really just above my belly button and no longer nearly up to my sternum). The doc said he thinks it may be a small hernia. I am to watch and see if it gets worse. Did anyone else end up with a hernia post surgery?

I agree with starr1202. My physician told me it is not unusual for folks to gain weight prior to their surgery date. I did...13 pounds worth. I had never heard the expression "food funeral". I like it. Now realize that that must have been what I went through. Silly me 'cause now I know that there is no food that I have had to say good bye to. I just needed to change from the old, large amount that I used to eat. Not everyone can tolerate all their old food friends but I can. I only wish I had known that as I waited for surgery 'cause I would have not gained the 14 pounds I just needed to lose again!

Hey GG. I find very interesting your remark about hormones stored in fat that get released with weight loss. As I have lost weight over the past two and a half months I feel like the clock has turned back in time. I am several years past menopause with every "older lady" issue there is. Still the hot flashes, etc had gone. They seem to be returning. Weird. Anyone else experiencing a return to a younger, hormonal self?

Mine was a 36 French. I tried to get a real world senses of how big that was. An image on the web showed a Sharpie fine tip markers s approximately the size of a 36 French bougie. Wow, even if my doc made a loose cut-and-staple around it I now have a very small stomach pouch. After seeing the various items shown side by side to illustrate various French sized I would agree with Laura-ven. We all have MUCH smaller stomachs after surgery regardless of bougie size BTW, the day after surgery I coughed up a really funky hunk of mucus and blood. I suspect it was the result of the bougie traveling up and down my esophagus during surgery. Better forewarned than surprised! Good luck

I am glad to hear you are starting to feel better. The great news is you will likely feel even better with each passing day. Concerning your sense of hunger.....I agree that the healing tummy feels things that mimic hunger (at least mine did) and that after it heals up those pangs may pass. If they don't think about if you have allergies with post nasal drip. I was feeling insatiable hunger at ~7 weeks out that turned out to be untreated allergies. The post nasal drip sat in my stomach and caused it to grind like it was hungry. After taking my antihistamine all the "hunger" pangs disappeared.

Ha! I hadn't even thought about the possibility of crossing my legs again. It has been decades since I was last able to do it. Your post really made me smile. Thanks.

I hope this is not a TMI moment but here goes.....FYI - if you have allergies (and post nasal drip with them) watch out for possible "hunger pangs". I was miserable from "hunger" that even a protein packed meal would not satisfy. Turns out, what I really had was allergic post nasal drip that was troubling my stomach and making me think I was hungry. Be sure to treat your allergies (Claratin works great for mine) and keep the false hunger away.

Darn it, y'all. Am I supposed to experience guilt? I haven't felt guilty once when I have made a poor food choice. I have seen it as my trial and error plan to see what I can tolerate and what may be off limits. I don't plan to "diet" my life away but to modify my portions, my intake order and my choices. I haven't had any major over sized portion problems yet but I have thrown up several times when "I chose poorly". Buffets with family are murder for me. Even if I stay focused on better choices and tiny servings I still over do and urp as a result (yes, I have done it twice now). I don't want a life of depravation. I don't think I have to have one with my sleeve as my helper. I try to "respect the pouch" and it tries to keep me on the straight and narrow. So far, so good. Bad choices and all.

I have been plagued by very bad constipation since my surgery two months ago. My doctor said to try Miralax. Several doses later and, ahh, sweet relief. However, as soon as I stop taking it the constipation returns. My doctor has said that I can take daily Miralax for life if I need to. Has anyone else been told this by their doctor? I am reluctant use daily, chemical laxative if there are other choices. Daily prunes, high fiber cereal, and plenty of water have not been sufficient to ease my pain. Miralax is very effective but a bit spooky for me to take daily. What is your experience?

Hi y'all, I am only two months out but have already had to deal with a two week period of not losing an ounce and a few days of actually gaining 3 pounds. From my own (still quite early) experience I think we need to be careful about what "gaining" weight means. I think we will all have small fluctuations. I think a true weight gain is an increase in weight that does not go away even after time (hmmm, how much time? I am not sure) has past. I suspect we all had weight fluctuations before surgery. The sleeve is a procedure not a magic wand. Life's old rules still apply (pre-menstral blot, constipation, water retention after a high salt meal, etc. etc). These were cause for temporary weight gains for me in the past. I suspect they will be for me still.

Highest weight 313. Same as surgery day weight. Now 2 months out and just broke through 280. Only 33 pounds lost but I feel like a new person. Best thing I have ever done for myself. Why didn't I consider this years ago!?!

You look sweet, girlfriend! Congrats. You are an inspiration to me as a 2 month post surgery gal who is struggling with slow weight loss. Can you say more about it being harder to lose now that you are a year out. Do you mean that the weight no longer comes off even when you eat like you did while it peeled off of you or that your appetite is harder to manage or is it something else. Inquiring minds want to know!

I think you will be fine. Please don't be shy about pain management. My doctor put me on a fentanyl (sp?) drip after surgery. It knocked me out with delivery of each dose but did little for pain while I was conscious. I mention it to my nurses and they told me there was a Tylenol/Motrin-like combo that was available to me. It was wonderful. I got right out of bed and walked the halls for ~ 20 minutes. My pain was nearly gone. I think good pain management is a big part of rapid healing. Be sure to speak up to your nursing staff. They can be your best friends after surgery. Good luck!

Sorry. I first posted this under another category. I think it is better here. I have been plagued by very bad constipation since my surgery two months ago. My doctor said to try Miralax. Several doses later and, ahh, sweet relief. However, as soon as I stop taking it, the constipation returns. My doctor has said that I can take daily Miralax for life if I need to. Has anyone else been told this by their doctor? I am reluctant to use daily, chemical laxative if there are other choices. Daily prunes, high Fiber Cereal, and plenty of Water have not been sufficient to ease my pain. Miralax is very effective but a bit spooky for me to take daily. What is your experience?

Congrats on your success! I am also ~ two months out. My success is less impressive than yours. I am 32 pounds down but have not dropped on ounce in over two weeks. Very frustrating. I have tried to bolster myself by finding non-scale victories. I have been excercising much more recently and am now walk faster and further than just a few weeks back. I feel physically better on all fronts. My knees are less painful, my feet and ankles are not as sore. I never took "before" photos but did take lots of "just post" measurements. I have lost lots of inches. Yippee! My watch is so loose I need to take it in - again. My wedding ring is falling off. I need to use the 4th hole on my belt to hold up my pants...the same belt which barely fastened on the loosest hole pre-surgery. My pants are falling off. Woo, woo. This is fun. I'd be delighted if the scale would budge but I am still very happy that I had the surgery.

I am only 6 weeks out but my understanding of the "honeymoon period" is that it is the initial period of time, post surgery, when one has little (to no) tummy hunger. With no tummy hunger driving us to eat we are (easily?) able to keep our intake less than our output, resulting in good weight loss. The end of the honeymoon was explained to me as the return of tummy hunger. Post-honeymoon requires maintaining good habits of plenty of protein and liquids, modest amounts of carbohydrate and not slipping into dangerous "freedom of choice". It is not that one can no longer lose weight nor that the process is different than before, just that true hunger is now our companion on the journey to smaller selves. Don't be scared or discouraged. I am a slow loser as well. Everytime I dispair, the scale drops again, each time to my amazement. This NEVER happened to me pre-surgery!

I am only 3 1/2 weeks out from surgery so please understand that I am still a newbie. I am looking for insight from long term sleevers. I understood from my physician and nutritionist that there is a "honeymoon period" during the first ~6 months post surgery when hunger pangs are nearly nonexistent. That eating might seem like a full time job as one tries to get in proper amounts of Protein and liquid. I also understood that after this "honeymoon period" hunger pangs may come back but that the sleeve would continue to help one feel full quickly (after only a small meal) if one followed the recommended eating and drinking guidlines. Have you long timers found this to be true? Even at only ~3 weeks out from surgery I already have some pretty strong hunger pangs. They are quieted after a small meal but they return - again and again. I am concerned about what I will feel like later if this is what my "honeymoon" is like. What has your experience been now that you are further out from surgery? Does bougie size make a difference? I know smaller bougies make for smaller sleeves and less room for food. Do larger bougies result in greater hunger both during honeymoon and later on? My doctor told me mine was 36 French. He said it was on the large-ish side of the range he uses. I am not unhappy about anything with the surgery so far except the slow rate of weight loss and the surprising degree of hunger I experience. Did I miss "my honeymoon"? Any thoughts or stories to share?

Thanks for all the replies. Did any of you take acid blockers before surgery? I have only tried them once (while trying to clear a supposed H. Pylori infection) and they made me sick as a dog. I am reluctant to try them again on my new and tender tummy. Just wondering what your experience with them has been like.

Is there any chance of asking a different surgeon for a second opinion? It is clear from this site that there are as many different opinions and philosophies about sleeve surgery as there are physicians doing it.

With all my paperwork in proper order when my Dr.s office submitted to Aetna the approval came in about a week