Baconville

This is part of the journey. We all go through it. It is why weight loss surgery is NOT easy. In my journey I found that often times I would stall or gain a few pounds right before a big loss. I believe that these are the times that staying on plan matter the most. It is as if your body does not want to let go of the weight. Sometimes you will see a change in your clothing during this time. I also think that increasing your Water intake does help. This is not a journey for a quitter! To be successful you must keep your determination and persevere. I have lost 208 pounds since April, 2013. My surgery was in June, 2013. I have reached my goal and am currently working on maintenance. So far I am succeeding, but it also is not easy. This is a life time commitment, but it can be done! Carol

I had surgery in June, 2013 - so I am a bit over a year out. I have reached my goal and have lost 207 pounds. I am 49 years old. My skin is very bad. I am wearing a size 6 petite, so it doesn't effect clothes too much, but no sleeveless tops for me (my upper arms are horrible) and my stomach and thighs are bad as well - but much easier to hide. As some of the other posts said, the only real solution is plastic surgery. I just don't know if that's for me. As for what you can do - I am told really not much. Your outcome will depend on your age (they told me if you are closer to 25 than 50 your skin will most likely bounce back), genetics also plays a part. Good luck to you! Even with the excess saggy skin, I am so incredibly happy to have lost the weight! I feel fantastic!! Carol

The post above is absolutely correct. It will get better. You must stay with it. Keep drinking - so very important. Get your Protein in. Walk as much as you can. This is your full time job right now. One small sip of Water (1/2 a medicine cup) every 15 minutes is what I did. Soon you will be drinking full glasses again, but you need to heal. Congratulations on making the decision to have surgery! Your new life is just beginning and you have many better days ahead because of it! Carol

I am only 15 months out, but I totally relate. I am terrified of gaining weight. I have lost over 200 pounds and have a normal BMI for the first time in my life (I was overweight when I was only six months old). I have lost 95% of my excess weight. I weigh myself every morning and every night. I record everything that I eat in MyFitnessPal.com. So far I am successfully maintaining. I am eating about 1100 calories a day. I work out in some way every day, I walk, I belong to the YMCA and do a variety of classes, I lift weights. I wear a Fit Bit and strive for at least 10, 000 steps everyday. They spend so much time teaching us how to lose weight, but nobody seems interested in teaching you how to maintain the loss once you get there. I really feel like I am on my own and just feeling my way. So far what I am doing is working, I am terrified of losing control or having my body suddenly change and suddenly gaining the weight back. For now I am going to stay vigilant. I have days that I don't do as well as others. When I do, I just make sure the next day is better. Together we can figure this out! Carol

Follow your doctor's plan. Exercise as much as you can and push your limits. I think weight loss surgery should come with a Fit Bit. Absolutely worth the investment. Use MyFitnessPal.com to track your food, I would be lost without it. Best of luck! Carol RNY 6/25/13, 205 pounds lost.

I chose RNY which I had done 6/25/13. I have lost just over 205 pounds, have a normal BMI, am off all prescription medications, and I no longer suffer from debilitating knee and back pain. RNY was my choice because it is the tried and true. It has been around for decades, doctors know what works and what doesn't. They also know how it will effect me as I age (I will be 50 this year). I wanted the surgery that was going to give me the best chance of success and I believe that is RNY. I am thrilled with my outcome! Life could not be better, I could not be healthier, and I am grateful everyday for my decision to go forward with RNY.

I am a petite woman. Prior to surgery I wore a size 7 to 7 1/2 wide. After losing 205 pounds I now wear a 6 1/2 medium. My shoe size was the last thing to drop though.

I just want you to know that your feelings are very normal. I am 14 months post RNY. I lost 40 pounds prior to surgery, and was scared to death I would die on the table. It motivated me to be as prepared as I could be for surgery. I sailed right through, had absolutely no complications, was back to work in two weeks. My surgery has been HUGELY successful, and life changing. I have lost over 205 pounds and am maintaining a normal BMI for the first time in my life. I am taking no prescription meds. I can do things with my family that I have never been able to do before. I can not begin to express how it feels to join with my son and husband instead of sitting on the sidelines watching them have fun. I will always Celebrate June 25th as a second birthday - it was the day my life really started over. I guess in a way I did die on that table. I have buried the 330 pound woman who lived with neck, knee and back pain EVERY day, who had high blood pressure and sleep apnea. She was walking down a path that would have led to her early death. The woman that woke up after surgery is living life to the fullest, the way life is meant to be lived. I wake up every day so incredibly grateful to be living in this healthy body. I am very excited for you! Tomorrow will be a big day in your life!! God bless! Carol

Please keep us updated on how you are doing. This is something I would love to have done, but am really afraid of the pain. How long will you be off work? What are your restrictions?

Here's my update - We had a FANTASTIC day at the Fair. We enjoyed so many things, bands and exhibits, there is so much to see and do we are going again on Saturday. Yesterday I enjoyed a grilled chicken breast on a stick and one ear of corn on the cob, no butter. I also had 3 deep fried cheese curds and (my #1 thing to eat at the MN State Fair) a strawberry dairy malt from the dairy building - and I ate the entire 12 ounces. I did not get sick and this morning I was only up 1/2 a pound to 124.8. Today I am back on plan and doing great. According to my FitBit I did get just over 24,000 steps in, so I am sure that helped. For the first time in my life I climbed up to the top of the fire tower and to the top of the giant slide - both were a blast! Saturday will be much easier because it will just be my husband and I and we are good at working together at keeping each other on track. Nice to know that I can have a day like yesterday once in a while and still maintain my weight. I am feeling successful! Carol

I will be attending the Minnesota State Fair tomorrow. It is one of the largest fairs in the country, and it is something I have done every year since I was in high school. Lots of temptations, if you want something deep fried on a stick, the MN State Fair is your place! I love it, not just for the food, but for all the many things there are to see and do. And you do A LOT of walking! This year will be a challenge. My weight is currently at its lowest point, 124.2. This year I am going to enjoy a bit of my favorites, but I am going to be sharing with my family, so I will get a taste, but hopefully it will be manageable. Tuesday I will be back on plan. Last year I simply could not have ANYTHING. That was almost easier. But life is meant to be lived and figuring out how to eat at these types of events is part of my life. I will let you know how it goes! Carol

WOW!!! You look FANTASTIC!!

My advice would be to weigh the risks in having surgery against those for not having surgery. I had RNY on 7/25/13. It is by far the best thing I have ever done for myself. When I was first seen in my clinic, I weighed 331 pounds. I had high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and horrible joint pain. If I continued on the path I was on my weight would have led to my early death and I am only 49 years old. Surgery is a very big step and the decision should be taken very seriously. However, if you needed heart surgery to save your life you probably wouldn't think twice about it. And, heart surgery would not be successful unless you were determined to make the lifestyle changes necessary to live a healthy life. RNY is not that different. YOU have to be determined to make it work, it is only a tool. I have lost 205 pounds. For the first time in my life my BMI is normal. My bariatric doctor said that I am currently amoung the 5% healthiest Americans. I have no joint pain and I take no prescription meds. Life could not be better. For the first time I am working to maintain my weight, not lose weight. This is a very personal decision and you have to be ready. Read, read, read! Talk to people who have been on the journey. Find a mentor. RNY can be a wonderful thing, I am living proof Best wishes, Carol

I am just going to add a couple of comments to what are some fantastic posts with wonderful information. I had my RNY on June 25, 2013 - a bit over a year ago. I began my journey at 330 pound with a BMI over 60 and am now at 124 pounds with a normal BMI. My primary health problems were blood pressure, sleep apnea and joint issues - all of which have resolved. I choose RNY because it is the tried and true - the one that has been around for decades and they know the most about. A lot has been said about dumping. You should know that not everybody gets dumping - in fact most people do not. I have had birthday cake with icing, real ice cream, candy, and foods high in fat like French fries and have yet to experience dumping. I actually had pizza for lunch on Monday. Now, you should also know that I do not eat a full slice of cake or a bag of M & Ms - I might have 4 M & M candies, a couple bites of cake, two or three French fries. I am very careful, but it helps keep me sane. I think if I had to tell myself that I would NEVER be able to have another bite of ice cream again I would really obsess over how much I wanted some. Allowing myself a bite of this or that once in a while has allowed me to feel like I am still enjoying event. All that said, part of me wishes that I would have some dumping because of the deterrent factor. At this point I have yet to find anything that I can't eat and it is scary because now that I am trying to maintain my weight, I feel like I could so easily return to old habits and I am very determined to never live in an obese body again! Best of luck to you in your decision! Here's to healthy living!! Carol

I hope all goes well. I had mine removed with my RNY. I can't say that I have missed it at all! I hope you are feeling much better very soon.

We were to Rochester to see if he qualified for the robotically assisted procedure in July. It was a fantastic experience and its easy to see why Mayo has the reputation they have. I hope that the model can be duplicated because it really is the way healthcare should be. My degree is in Paralegal Studies. I worked as a Paralegal for about 15 years and hated it. I am now the administrative assistant to the assistant superintendent of a public school district. I absolutely love what I do now. Nice to get up in the morning and be excited about going to work!

I would encourage you to call your clinic. You could have the beginnings of a stricture which is a very common and easily corrected complication following RNY. If it is a stricture, it can continue to close to the point that you will not be able to get liquids down. This leads to dehydration, which adds another complication. Address it now before it gets to that point. You may be fine in a couple days, but I would error on the side of caution.

My husband will be having heart surgery at Mayo in Rochester in late October. They can do the surgery robotically assisted and will not have to break the sternum to open his chest. We are hoping that this will lead to a faster recovery. I am really terrified, he is truly my best friend, but I know that he will be in the hands of the best surgeons in the world. He could have the surgery closer to home, but Mayo is not that far away, they take his insurance, so why not have the best? On another note, Southeastern Minnesota in the fall is stunningly beautiful. If you have time, take a drive over by the Mississippi River. The fall colors are amazing and Bald Eagles are easily seen. I went to college in Winona, about 30 minutes east of Rochester. Loved it!

Great post RJ - as usual. I live in a very small suburb northeast of St. Paul, Minnesota. The name of my town is Centerviile. I am about 20 minutes outside the city, close enough to enjoy all that St. Paul and Minneapolis have to offer (professional sports and great theater), yet in the county where there are many small farms that offer organically grown vegetables and free range eggs, and many people own horses - so its not unusual to see one going by my house. Minnesota is the 'Land of 10,000 Lakes' and most evenings you will find me on either my two or three mile walk along the lake in my neighborhood. I enjoy watching the Blue Herons and Bald Eagles that next on our lake and all the abundant wildlife. The winters can be very brutal, but this time of the year it is breathtakingly beautiful! Carol

Bandista - YOU ROCK!!! We have all had surgery and done the work so we could LIVE! Enjoy life!! You have earned it!

Way to go! You have worked so hard for this! So far I am maintaining between 125 - 127, but I have had some bad days. Learning how to live in a thin body is a challenge, but we can do this! So very happy for you!

My family and I traveled to the Black Hills in South Dakota for the Independence Day Holiday. We climbed to the top of Harney' s Peak (highest peak east of the Rocky Mountains!). I have lost of 205 pounds. At 331 pounds I would have stayed behind and read a book while my husband and son enjoyed the day and the amazing views. It was such a magical day being able to experience that with my family. I had celebrated my one year surgerversary - I can't express just how life affirming that experience was for me! Carol

Shop around at some larger, well respected jewelry stores. I just had mine resized (RNY ON 6/25/13; total weight lost 205 pounds). My ring size went from a 7.5 to a 5.25. For the months in between I had them put on a sizer. It worked great for me and only cost $15.00. I did take my rings off when I showered or had my hands in water, but I was able to adjust it as my hands got smaller. I will be married 20 years next month, it was important to me to be able to wear my rings.

CTRose, WAY TO GO!!!! You are on your way, and doing it in such a healthy way both physically and psychologically. You can't lose 40 without first losing 5 and then 10! At the rate you are going you will be there before you know it! I am SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!! I have had a rough eating week. I was at a two day workshop for work and I made a couple bad choices. This weekend is my church's Festival and I made two cakes for the cake walk (and sampled the frosting) and will be working with food tonight and all day tomorrow. I was at my Turbo Kick class at the YMCA this morning though, so that is in my favor. My weight is creeping up to the higher end of my five pound maintenance range. Since I think today and tomorrow are going to be tough, I am just going to half to hit it really hard next week. Fortunately, next week should be good for getting back on track. I hope that with time my weight will not be as volital and that perhaps I can find a way to increase my metabolism. I am finding it very difficult to stick to a 900 - 1000 calorie diet! Please keep posting about your journey. I am finding what you share to be so helpful and inspirational! Carol

I think you are wise to wait. Just like the RNY, you want to make sure you are in the best place possible when you have it done. Your recovery will be that much easier. I can not express how very happy I am for you!