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So I'm 18 months out, been below goal for 10 of them. Haven't really had any new NSVs worth mentioning....maintenance life is pretty boring. But this last weekend I had a huge one. Friends I haven't seen in 3 years came to visit and we went hiking in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Last time they were here I struggled to barely keep up on our short day hikes. They were always waiting for me in the steep parts, I was out of breath and my feet and ankles hurt constantly. I actually had to skip the last day because I was in so much pain I could barely walk across the parking lot. Last weekend was totally different. I led the pack on every hike. I was waiting for them at the tops of the hills. We hiked 25+ miles in 2 1/2 days and I logged over 25,000 Fitbit steps each day. Over 200 "flights of stairs". My calves were a little sore on the 3rd day but that's it. Oh yeah, and we saw black bears, grizzly bears, pronghorn, moose, elk, bison, snakes, marmots, and the wild flowers were sensational.

Yes, I had surgery in Mexico. Dr. Ariel Ortiz and Dr. Arturo Martinez at Obesity Control Center. They used a 32Fr. bougie plus oversewed the staple line for a pretty tight sleeve. I'm still maintaining below goal almost 21 months out with no complications. And as for Your observation about Mexico patients faring better, I always wondered about the success rate of insurance vs self pay patients. Spending all of my savings and then some definitely plays a role in my commitment level. Let me tell you, in the long run, it's all about winning the mental challenges day after day, not the surgical technique. Good luck!

Depends on the cause of the lower leg swelling. In my case, it has everything to do with my vascular system and nothing to do with my weight. I lost 100 pounds and still have swelling. In fact, it got more uncomfortable after losing weight. Granted, my ankles and calves are much smaller than before surgery, but that's because I Have swelling over normal sized legs rather than swelling in addition to fat legs. You may discuss your concerns with your surgeon or the doctor that diagnosed your incompetent veins to see if they could give you a post-surgical prognosis.

Like wannaBthinsoon, I've had my varicose and spider veins for 30+ years no matter what weight I've been. Mostly they've just been ugly, but they do cause lower leg swelling (I have beautiful ankles when I wake up in the morning and cankles by 10am) and the pain and heaviness has gotten worse over the years. I am at a great risk of blood clots because my circulation is so poor. Despite ultrasound showing extremely distended vessels and back flow, which is a serious health risk and the other issues I described, insurance has denied my claim for endovenous ablation 3 times. Apparently I'm not in ENOUGH pain and I haven't actually died from a blood clot yet, so they don't feel it's necessary. But I am bound and determined to get the fuckers to pay for SOMETHING so I am having another ultrasound done to document that things are getting worse and resubmitting once again. Maybe if I include a nude photo of myself and all my sagginess, they will see that I'm not doing it for vanity's sake! So glad I didn't have to deal with these bastards over my WLS. I'd probably be 200 pounds heavier and STILL waiting for approval.

I own my own busines and pay for my own medical insurance. My state opted out of WLS so unless I move to another state, there was no way insurance would cover my surgery no matter what my BMI or comorbidities. So I was off to Mexico! Best experience ever. Pain free, easy recovery, great communication and support from my surgeon's office. PCP takes care of follow up bloodwork. 19 months later....nearly 100 pounds lighter and feelin fabulous. Money well spent. (much better than the POS "affordable" health care act policy I am force to waste my money on).

Thanks. I was pretty lucky with having such an easy recovery. I didn't feel "normal" till about 4 months out, but had no problems being functional in the meantime.

I eat every 2-3 hours all day long. I don't really distinguish between a meal and a snack. I just eat what I eat to satisfy my hunger, no planning or counting or measuring. Healthy choices 80% of the time, total crap the other 20%. I keep a rough tally in my head to know I'm getting all my protein and fluids, but don't bother with all the other numbers. I'm 19 months post, 10 pounds below goal and this is what I've always done. Postop life doesn't have to be all that complicated.

I was taking miralax and MOM every day and adding benefiber and Metamucil to my Protein shakes. I still only had a BP every 3 days and it was so hard I would make myself bleed trying to go. I finally discovered what worked was INSOLUBLE fiber. Metamucil and benefiber are both soluble fiber and can actually make constipation worse. Since I started adding insoluble fiber (Now Foods Apple fiber and ground flax seed) to my smoothies and Greek Yogurt I've been able to stop the miralax and MOM and I have a soft formed poop every morning.

December 2013 (day I started preop diet) vs December 2014. I'm 19 months out now but look the same as 12 months post (with the addition of a new tattoo) September 2013 ( 3 months before surgery) vs September 2014 (9 months postop and 10 pounds below goal

Actually, liquid runs through your sleeve within a few seconds...maybe a minute tops. I watched it on my barium fluoroscopy three days post op. I also did a barium study on myself preop and even with a full size stomach the barium was completely in my intestines within 5 minutes. But maybe I just have a fast GI transit time.....

I told family and close friends before surgery and like family and friends are supposed to be, they were totally supportive. Of course they expressed the normal amount of concern over the fact it was major surgery and I was traveling to Mexico, but they were all positive and offered any help I needed. Post op, I was asked how I was losing so much weight several times every day (I see up to a dozen clients/day). With very few exceptions, I told them I had surgery and proceeded to answer any questions they had about the type of surgery, the process involved, diet plan I follow, etc. The exceptions were clients I don't really like and have no interest in having ANY type of non-professional conversation with. By the 2nd month my work partner was answering the questions herself because she had heard them so many times. We were both very glad when the novelty of my skinniness finally wore off! Telling the truth about my surgery was really the only option I had. Anything else would have felt like lying and I don't feel comfortable letting people think it was just diet and exercise. And as a result, at least 4 other people have had WLS since hearing my story. Not to mention the 100's of people that now have a little better understanding of obesity, WLS and the great medical care available in Mexico. And if anyone is saying anything negative about my surgery they are doing it behind my back because I have only had positive responses. (Except my hairdresser who calls me "skinny bitch" ) And my dogs have been totally supportive. They love the fact that I can no longer clean my plate.

@@MrsDixon Just like you downplayed the preop diet in your OP, the time period you are going through and what you are experiencing is nothing like the rest of your life will be. The 1st month is WAY different than what your life eventually will be. I, too, had to get IV fluids 3 times. I couldn't tolerate lactose, plain Water or artificial sweeteners. By 4 months postop, most of that had passed. And things kept changing even after that.....The 10th month wasn't anything like the 6th month. At 19 months postop, life is very different than even 12 months. And from what I've read from veterans, I can expect even more changes 2-3 years out. Believe me, this entire WLS journey is an ever-changing, evolving experience. The best you can do is roll with the punches and keep a good attitude. There's no going back so just keep moving forward.

On a scale of 1-10, I'd say postop life was a 3 for the 1st 4 months.....WAY easier than some of the crazy diets I've been on and with much better results. Really the only hard part was having to eat and drink when I wasn't hungry.... It was such a chore. I also developed a bad C. diff infection causing severe diarrhea for 2 months, but that wasn't related to my surgery.....got it from a dental procedure. But After 4 months everything was back to normal and Life has been easy. As for Vitamins, it's not a one size fits all. You need to do regular bloodwork and adjust accordingly. For example, I was taking a Multivitamin, calcium, Iron, Vitamin D3 and B12 sublingual immediately postop. My 6 month labs showed that my calcium and iron were high so I stopped taking those. 12 month labs were all good. I will recheck again when I am two years out and make any necessary adjustments. Studies on gastrectomy patients revealed that 90% developed deficiencies within 10 years. (iron, D and B12 were the most common, but folate, zinc and calcium show up, too). So yes, bloodwork and supplementation are important to prevent serious health issues. And taking daily vitamins Is really no big deal.

I had surgery on Friday. Probably could have driven on Saturday, but I was in TJ, so no thanks! Flew 3 hours and drove 2 hours (in a blizzard and SLC rush hour traffic) on Monday. Drove another 4 hours, including icy Malad Pass, on Tuesday. Plowed my driveway when I got home. Went back to work on Thursday and I drive a 13,000 lb mobile veterinary unit (like a 24ft RV) all day. I never had any pain so I wasn't taking narcotics and driving was never an issue.

Chili rellenos with refried beans is my fav.... Always was, even before surgery. but really, I eat anything and everything minus the nachos and rice. Just eat the insides of the taco/enchilada/burrito. Fajitas are easy...just eat the fixings, not the tortilla.

Yumm! Great idea.

That's an awful lot of processed crap. Why don't you just eat the same "menu plan". But make the meals yourself? Egg for breakfast (I'd personally leave out the toast....bread is a big no no postop anyways). A lean Protein and veggie for lunch and same for dinner. Even substitute a Protein shake or bar for one of your meals (read the label because some "protein" shakes/bars have more carbs than protein). Basically just go high protein/low carb and tons of Water. This willbe your normal diet plan postoperative for the rest if your life anyways. And if you really want to get crazy, you can do several mini preop diets between now and September to really shed the lbs. I lost 22 pounds in 16 days doing 3 Protein shakes and unlimited leafy green veggies right before my surgery. Good luck!

You can easily make most anything in a restaurant low carb.....eat the Insides of a sandwich or burger, leave the bun.....toppings of a pizza, leave the crust......soup without noodles.....taco without the tortilla.....ask for a side of veggies instead of the potatoes/fries most things come with (or just hold the side altogether)..... Asian food without the rice/noodles..... I have yet to go out somewhere that didn't have something I could eat. Granted a "noodle bowl" place would be tough, but there are dozens of other options most places you go.

I weaned myself off caffeine a couple months before surgery (took 2 months to do it.). I also stopped smoking cold turkey 3 months before surgery. Other than that I ate normal and drank alcohol right up until the day I started my preop. I figured why start torturing myself sooner than absolutely necessary?! Looking back now, the preop diet is barely a blip on my radar compared to postop life and maintenance. Really Just a small part of the process and a necessary "right of passage" that can often be empowering.

Stay off the scale! I didn't have a three weeks stall because I hardly ever stepped on the scale. I guarantee my weight loss journey was a hell of a lot more fun because of it! Eat Protein, drink Water, take Vitamins. That all you need to do right now.

Thank you for making my point about the dangers of doctors setting goals and deadlines for their patients. You are NOT a failure and shame on your surgeon for setting you up to feel this way. Forget about goals and numbers. If you FEEL better and you are HEALTHIER, then you are a success. Those are the REAL goals of any WLS. Just keep making healthy choices and being active. WLS is about the rest of your life, not just the first 12 months.

I used regular mayo for everything. Never worried about fat. Actually, come to think of it, blending avocado with the egg salad was really good, too. I never really used sour cream that much, I used plain Greek yogurt instead, just for the protein factor.

One of My favs were huevos rancheros made with refried Beans, cheese, egg and green chili. Another was cottage cheese mixed with Muscle Milk cake batter Protein powder....tastes like cheesecake. I made a lot of homemade guacomole with avacados, tomatoes, garlic and cilantro. Split pea Soup and bean with ham soup (pureed the ham chunks) Pureed tuna fish with a dab of homemade mustard Deviled ham Egg salad Mashed potatoes with unflavored Protein Powder. Mashed cauliflower with butter and cheese I also carried over all of my Soups from liquid stage.....cream of spinach, French onion, lobster bisque, cream of asparagus, wonton soup broth, hot and sour broth, vegetable beef, egg drop soup, portobello mushroom, etc. I pureed any with chunks and added unjury unflavored protein powder. Mmmmm.....I loved pureed stage!

Like stated above, Vitamin D and B12 deficiencies are very common amongst even non-WLS folks. My PCP says over 1/2 of the people he sees need D and B12 supplementation. He's extremely impressed that my levels are all normal. In addition to my daily Multivitamin and fish oil, I take 1mg sublingual B12 three times/week and Vitamin D3 2000 IU everyday, and probably will for the rest of my life. I used to take Calcium and Iron supplements immediately postop, but those levels were high on my 6 month labs. I stopped taking them and everything was back to normal with my 12 month bloodwork. I will adjust supplements as needed based on my next bloodwork results in 6 months. Vitamins are not a one size fits all, that's why followup labs for the rest of your life is so important.