VSGAnn2014

So far, there's not a lot about weight loss that ticks me off. But I'll put my thinking cap on.

Dude, you need to smoke either more or less. That rationalization is really weak.

P.S. For sleevers who think they can go back to carbonated sodas, be forewarned: Even when the bubbles are dissipated, the acidic nature of the soda is just hell on your GERD. Either don't do it -- or run your own little science experiment on yourself and see how that goes.

I've taken 40 milligrams of Ranitidine twice a day for years. No biggie. Then after surgery, my surgeon prescribed a PPI (Protonix) for 3 months only. I got a refill and kept taking them (felt I still needed the stronger treatment, even though by then I'd learned that it's not advisable to take them long-term -- their possible effects with regard to osteoporosis, etc.). Then 4-5 months post-op, my bariatric PA and I agreed that I should phase back into my old Ranitidine regimen. And I did. And it works pretty well. Only once (about 6 weeks ago) I had a bad reflux flare-up (my own fault -- I ate like an idiot one day -- don't ask) and spent the next week on Protonix again. But in a week I was able to go back to Ranitidine. I have come to accept that I have to avoid the GERD-inducing foods and drinks. Or at least I can't eat ALL the GERD-inducing foods at the same time. And I don't eat anything within 2 hours of going to bed. That is the most important GERD rule of all.

I think you missed the memo that you're having major surgery. With general anesthesia. And they're taking out 85% of your stomach. Post-op for at least a week you're going to be experiencing some major physical sensations (for some people those are minor, for others they are major), struggling to drink 64 ounces of Water (which immediately post-op is an all-day gig), and probably some "interesting" emotional responses to having just changed your innards permanently. And you'll be required to spend much of your day walking to expel the surgical gas still inside your body. Oh, and during at least some of the first week, if not all of it, you'll likely still be in pain and taking pain meds.

Your doc's instructions should be clarified with YOUR doc. However, here's how my doc explained it. (And please know that docs' instructions vary considerably, person to person!) Definitely no more NSAIDs (Aleve, Ibuprofen, aspirin, etc.) for X weeks prior to surgery. They want to minimize the chance of too much bleeding during surgery. And post-op, no more NSAIDs on a daily basis. If you need an NSAID rarely, that's fine. But no more Aleve, ibuprofen, etc. the way I used to use it -- daily for decades. The reason is because NSAIDs are rough on our stomachs, which we have a lot less of, so we all want to protect our smaller tummies for the rest of our lives. BTW, even NSAIDs given intravenously are rough on our stomachs (Google is your friend). Here's the good news: If you lose all your weight and maintain it you will surely not need those kinds of OTC meds on a daily basis anymore. Several months prior to surgery I took 2 Aleve daily and had done so for decades. Yes, my knees hurt for a few weeks. But as I lost weight gradually pre-op and then much faster post-op, my knees stopped hurting at all. I went on a long hike last Sunday, and Monday morning when I got up my knees did twinge. But within 24 hours I was fine again. And at age 69, I'm no longer planning on having knee replacement surgery.

No, it's not realistic for you to drive home. You'll be woozy from all the pain meds you received during and immediately after surgery. Put another way, you'll definitely be under the influence and driving-impaired. Frankly, I wouldn't get into a cab alone drunk either. So have someone you know / trust drive you home. P.S. If your doc says you'll be in the hospital only overnight, believe him/her. That's how long I was there.

After nearly 70 years of living, here's the best advice I've ever seen about choosing mates: "Don't fall in love with anyone who has more problems than you have."

Early last June 2014 I weighed 235 pounds. I was sleeved in mid-August, reached my weight goal (150 pounds) in April 2015, and have maintained below that (at 143-145 pounds) since then. The sleeve alone doesn't fix our weight and health problems. However, if you learn to eat nutritiously, exercise and move more, and address any emotional and disordered eating issues you have, you can change your life! I cannot believe the life I now have, compared to what my life was like a year and a half ago. It's night and day. Best to you.

I don't understand why "soft crackers" (which I assume are saltines) are on your diet list. There's absolutely zero food value in them, and they're a slider food. Just sayin'.

I assume you had WLS to improve your health. Reread your OP above. What advice would you give someone else who'd written your post?

What in the world is sex-positive?

Yes, then there's the question of which probiotic products / brands to use. I have absolutely NO way to evaluate the various offerings. Anybody else out there have an education on this topic?

Then don't.

I keep very careful records about food eaten and macronutrients, daily weight, but not probiotics taken. However, when I started taking probiotics, it seemed to ramp my weight loss up about 2 pounds a month. I also noticed that I have much larger, more frequent bowel movements when I take probiotics. That's not a scientific study at all. But surely there must be some actual studies about this. Anyone seen one?

Ethical question? When it's you vs. an insurance company? Uh uh.

In my opinion, the main reason people fail at WLS is not because they had difficult complications like you did, RJs/Beginning. It's because they didn't understand or they simply didn't take seriously the post-op instructions they were given by their surgeons. I see a lot of pre- and post-op behavior described online that leaves little doubt that many folks who have WLS consider their surgeons' instructions to be optional for them. The most basic instructions -- eat a minimum of 60 grams of Protein and drink 64 ounces of Water daily; avoid highly processed carbohydrates; after your body has recovered from surgery, start cardio and strength-training exercise -- are ignored by many patients. The benefit of many threads on this forum comes not just from support for the OP, but from the dialogue it starts and the education it makes possible for many more people than the OP. That is the potential value of this thread. The purpose of this forum is not to avoid hurting anyone's feelings. It is to help those who are considering WLS and those who have had WLS who are stumbling along, trying to find their way and to achieve the best possible outcomes they can get from WLS. The OP made a great post that has produced a very valuable conversation. I'm grateful she posted. And I'm grateful for the conversation we're having. These are very important topics.

It's temporary. It'll grow back. You'll probably the only person who even notices it's a little thinner. Jeez!

Half-pound weights -- in your bra, pockets and underwear. Works.

One significant caveat to heed: Any study conclusions that make statements like this ("... recent studies show more than 60 percent loss of excess weight ....") are merely stating AVERAGE or MEDIAN weight loss results. Lots of people on this forum and on other forums I've visited have lost 100% of their excess weight loss and are now maintaining at normal-sized weight levels. And there are lots of WLS patients who have been unable to lose a significant amount of weight or who have regained most or even all of the weight they lost following WLS. One's individual success with WLS depends on their education, commitment to becoming healthier, support from family and/or friends, new lifestyle behaviors (exercise, eating more slowly, to name only a couple), food choices and portions that are nutritious and don't trigger overeating, etc. Almost everyone here has had success losing weight. Almost everyone here has had, prior to WLS, zero success at maintaining a lower weight. Yet there are many people here who finally have found out how to keep their weight off. For me, that's the miracle of WLS. Can you tell I'm a VSG fan?

Protip: Guilt never improved any situation. Ever. But honesty with yourself is a good thing. As long as you don't let your vacation behaviors continue during your best weight-losing phases, it shouldn't deter you. Finally ... I don't know that you've assumed this, but in any event don't assume that your smaller stomach's restriction is sufficient to control what you eat. (I guess that should be obvious after your smores, eh?) Just because you can eat it doesn't mean that you should. Over the coming months your restriction will ease. By the end of Year One you'll probably be able to eat or drink anything in the world. Yes, you won't be able to eat as much as you used to. But you can eat / drink enough to start gaining weight back. So you better have built some major other tools to support your new, healthy lifestyle. Very best to you!

Good show, @@gowalking ... And you are so right: This WAS the point of WLS! Yesterday I went hiking in the woods. Big elevation gains / losses. It was the first serious hike I've done in years. Boy oh boy, did I love it. NO knee pain. NO unusual huffing and puffing. Absolutely NO exhaustion. It's like I'm young again. And I'm nearly 70 years old. Fourteen months ago (two and a half months pre-op) I weighed 90+ pounds more than I do today. I needed knee replacement surgery. I was walking (ahem) under 1,000 steps a day, and every one of those steps was painful. I had been taking Aleve for decades. Last month, my PCP suggested I stop thinking about having knee surgery. Fine by me. I haven't had an Aleve in 14 months. My life has turned around completely!

Mine did -- started during Month Four and was pretty much over by end of Month Nine. The majority of WLS patients do have hair loss. But it's not life-threatening, nor is it really so noticeable to anyone but us. Women notice it a lot more than men do, because our hair is longer than theirs, and our long strands in the shower are so much more visible than 1/2 inch or 1 inch pieces of hair that slide right on down the drain. This is not something you should over-worry about. Truly.

The only times I get food cravings for carbs are when I've eaten a lot of sugar. Sugar begets carb cravings. I underscore Roger's doc's suggestion that a lot of "hunger" is really thirst. Finally, I use My Fitness Pal religiously to not only track my food, but plan my daily menus. If I know what I am going to eat that day, it makes it so much easier for me to stick to that plan. Like the old proverb says: Plan to succeed. Good luck to you.

Would not do that. Reschedule.