Getting-used-to-new-me

I haven't seen a forum topic dealing with these changes specifically. So I thought I'd start one. Has anyone noticed their xiphoid process, ribs, collar bones, and/or hip bones sticking out like never before, since losing all the weight? For example, now my xiphoid process almost sticks straight out! It never did that when I was thin. (Yes, I can remember that far back!) This next is more for the veterans and medical staff out there: And I realize collar bones and hip bones can't really move. But do our xiphoid processes and ribs go back to a flattened, smooth, new normal? Or do we have to put up with them sticking out from now on?

Thanks hockeygirl! Mine gets sore too. Sometimes I'm afraid it might break since it sticks out so much. It seems to go flatter when I tighten up my weak abs. And if I bend forward, sometimes it feels like it "clicks". Does that happen to you?

Welcome Lorammy! You may want to check out all the "pre-surgery" and post surgery" gastric sleeve posts for insights on what you'll be going through. I also began as a sleeve patient. But my insurance at the time only supported gastric bypass or lap band surgeries. I had a gastric bypass in December 2013. After a harrowing first few months following surgery, I'm appreciating what I had done to me now. I look forward to YOUR many posts!

Thanks kltklass! I emailed my NUT yesterday, the only one of my surgeon's group that I had an email address for. She said she didn't have an official medical answer, but would pass it on to the NP's that work there. No response from them yet. I suppose I'll have to look it up online. Please let me know if you find out anymore.

Thanks winning_by_losing! I emailed my NUT and she said she'd pass my question on to their NP's for an official medical response. But nothing else yet. I'm also posting this on the veteran's forum to see if others have had similar issues. My main concern is that my xiphoid process almost sticks straight out. It never did that when I was thin. I can actualy remember that far back!

I haven't seen a forum topic dealing with these changes specifically. So I thought I'd start one. Has anyone noticed their xiphoid process, ribs, collar bones, and/or hip bones sticking out like never before, since losing all the weight? This next is more for the veterans and medical staff out there: And I realize collar bones and hip bones can't really move. But do our xiphoid processes and ribs go back to a flattened, smooth, new normal? Or do we have to put up with them sticking out from now on?

I was lucky(?) I got three weeks off. My co-workers got two weeks off. I think it depends on what our surgeon's group said regarding our unique health statuses, in total. If I could have, I would have had four weeks off. I can't recommend anyone getting this surgery to begin with, let alone getting back to work within a week. That's superhuman! It's definitely not what I could have done. It takes our bodies one to two YEARS to accommodate all the changes. So the longer the better.

I had my RNY last December, 12/10/13. I'm having trouble with my surgery group. My surgery group says that RNY patients usually lose between 60 and 80 percent of their excess weight. But they don't say if that excess weight is more than you weighed as a young adult or more than the height weight charts say. They seem to mean, although they haven't ever said it plainly to me, that the excess weight is more than a normal BMI. But then when I've tried to pin that down, they say BMI's only work in general terms because each person is different. They add that having the goal of improved health is more important than weight loss. So I'm left with liking my improved health and all the NSV's of losing the weight. And I do, because those are really great feelings I haven't had for decades! But that doesn't stop me from bragging! For example, so far I've lost 85 pounds since I started this journey; my starting weight was 290 and my current weight is 205. My weight in college was 210, when I was really physically active and scrimmaging with the college soccer team. My "normal weight" from the height/weight charts is 187. My "ideal weight" for the BMI is no more than 189. So, here's the brag: If the excess is more than the height/weight charts, I've lost 82%! If the excess is more than the BMI ideal weight, I've lost 84%! And if the excess is more than college weight, I've lost 106%!!! No wonder my surgery group has been telling me since I've weighed about 230 and less, that I've lost enough and could stop at any time! I hope you've all experienced that kind of excess weight loss! I'm confident your health has improved as mine has!

I had that too. But it lasted a month until one morning I couldn't stay out of bed. My wife called 911 saying I was cadaver yellow. An ambulance ride to the ER later and they did an emergency upper GI to seal off the bleeders left by the RNY. I recommend you talk to your doc until they listen and check you out.

Congratulations! That "normal" BMI is what I strive for too!

Yes, you're right to NOT have popcorn this early in your recovery. When you're cleared for regular foods you can try a few pieces of popcorn, if you promise to chew them up real good!

The Taylor brand, clear glass model is the best and most accurate. But we're on our second one. Pre-surgery I broke our first one. I was too heavy for it. I had to read it after I stepped off it. I tried reading it while standing on it, pre surgery, and my toes caught it and flipped it in the air, like a tiddly-wink and it crashed into our shower-base and the glass broke. I can laugh at it now, but it wasn't funny at the time. Anyway, I believe how I look to myself and how I feel about my success is more important than how much I weigh.

You should try a few pieces of popcorn, just chew them up real well.

Glad to help! Please also stay in touch with your bariatric doc, ARNP, nutritionist, etc.

And I have to eat s l o w l y or I get severe pouch pain.

My NUT says to eat a half cup at a time, without drinking liquids, and up to two cups a sitting. I'm supposed to do this on a 2-3-2 schedule, which means six meals a day, the first within two hours of waking, then every three hours, with the last no less than two hours before bedtime. I'm supposed to drink water throughout the day, no less than two liters per day. I'm finding that I have to drink most of my protein because I can't tolerate much meat. I hope this helps. Also I had my surgery 12/10/13. And I've lost 75 pounds so far. My NUT and doc and ARNP all tell me I could quit losing now. But I'm going to follow the program and see if I can get to a normal weight instead of the overweight range I'm currently in.

I'm with you Greenize. I feel the pouch pain when I eat more than a half cup or a half cup too quickly.

For what it's worth, you may want to call the surgeons group, and drink your protein today.

I hear you u no it.

I too am not regular with my post RNY eating. But I'm getting better at knowing what I can tolerate most of the time. I've been adding steadily to those foods I can tolerate, and even like. It's mostly vegetarian foods. I'm still having to supplement my protein intake with whey shakes and protein bars. I don't know if I'll ever get to where I need by eating regular foods.

My wife doesn't like some food textures too. But every once in a while she try a sip of the strawberry smoothie I make. It's all a big experiment--eating after RNY.

I think they all do. The worst for me was the GNC brands. You may get better results by adding the whey protein to a fruit smoothie. Just don't add sugar. If you're like me, the sugar will make you nauseous.

I get nausea from eating sweets AND fatty foods. That's good, because it points me to what I should be eating. It also keeps me from eating what I used to.

The Body Fortress brand, at Wal-Mart and Bi-Mart is the cheapest. And it has a good protein to carb ratio.

I agree with you all. Yesterday I was in the dentists chair trying to answer with all that stuff and their hands in my mouth. You know what I mean? They asked how I felt being 70 pounds lighter. I struggled to answer. All I could think to say is, "I'm still trying to get used to it."