VSGAnn2014

Yes, I experienced that, too. It continued through about Month Four (I think) post-op And now it's gone. (I'm 5-1/2 months post-op.)

Nah, you just stand around while we all admire you. Seriously, big-time congratulations to you. What a big deal. Truly.

You have ALL the power in this situation. You will know -- yes, you will -- when and if having WLS is right for you.

I agree with the others ... hiding out is for the birds. You've spoken your truth here. And good on you! Now, go see your doctor to be accountable there and to invite the support he/she and the team there can give you, too. This is the real life we'll all get to live. We will always have to lose weight we've regained. Even my skinniest friends have to do this. Now it's your turn to learn and practice those re-losing skills. You CAN do this.

Those calculators don't predict YOUR weight loss. They calculate the AVERAGE weight loss of all WLS patients. I'm 5-1/2 months post-op and have a gastric sleeve. I started at 235 pounds, have lost 72 pounds, and now weigh 163 pounds (you'll have to do the pounds to kilograms conversion). The calculator at https://www.realize.com/do-i-qualify/potential-results/comparison says I have a 50% chance of losing at least 59 pounds in 12 months. (Obviously, I've beaten those odds already.) And that calculator gives me a 20% chance of losing 85 pounds in 12 months, which would put me at 150 pounds, which is indeed my personal weight loss goal. I will guaran-damn-tee you that I will lose ALL my excess weight loss (85 pounds) within 12 months. But here's one observation I think is true: A positive, determined attitude is critical to being successful with WLS. Best wishes.

I'm drinking a glass of wine right now. But, seriously, there are better wines out there to drink than merlot.

Smart woman, @@JackieBrown

Years ago, my husband told me that it's a mistake (generally) to think that men are complicated. He also suggested that when I want him to do X that I simply tell him to do X--but not expect him to make observations and interpret those observations to arrive at the conclusion that I want him to do X. He said that men are just not that smart.

I've seen several men here do this. Women, not so much. Not sure why the difference.

I'm 5-1/2 months out and typically drink (slowly) a 25-protein-gram, 170-calorie Protein drink for Breakfast. This works well with my morning appetite (pretty nil) and schedule (very little time for actual food prep). However, I get the rest of my daily protein (usually another 70 grams of protein) from animal, dairy and plant sources.

@@IcanMakeit Geez, what does that feel like ... to be so slim after being so heavy? Also, how tall are you?

@@IcanMakeit At least one difference between you and me is that this body of mine will NEVER have a BMI of 21. Not gonna happen. So I'll surely eat more carbs than you. Heck, I'm already (in weight loss mode) eating a lot more carbs than you. FYI, I'm 69 years old and 5'5".

Not a nutritionist here ... just a patient like everyone else. And only 5-1/2 months post-op. But it seems to me that most eating phases of the weight loss portion of our programs simply don't allow us enough calories to eat all the good carbs, Fiber, Vitamins, minerals, etc. that our bodies require. But that's no biggie to me. The weight loss portion of our WLS journey typically (for most patients) lasts only a year or less. During that time we should be taking vitamin/mineral/calcium supplements and can also take fiber supplements. And anyway, most of us are instructed to ratchet up our calorie counts as the weight loss phase continues, so we can gradually improve the nutritional value of our food intake. But we won't improve our nutritional intake if we add slider junk and slider foods instead of more veggies, fruits, and whole grains. Honestly, I'm not a dummy. But before WLS I really didn't understand how poorly I was eating. I sure wasn't eating enough Protein. And I didn't have a clue how much Calcium, fiber, or key vitamins I was taking in as food. And I also didn't take a vitamin/mineral supplement. This whole experience has been a class in Nutrition for Grown-Ups.

@@Vikingsfan8178 Have you been to an introductory lecture about WLS yet by a bariatric surgeon? I think that experience (whether you use that particular surgeon or not) would answer a lot of your questions and address a lot of your feelings. I know you know this, but .... The sleeve (that's what I have) is only one of many tools we have to build and use to maintain our weight losses. Given your educational / athletic background I would imagine that you would be a superstar at weight loss maintenance after WLS. Like you and so many others of us, I could lose the damned weight. And did, dozens of times. But I just could never keep it off. I was sleeved last August at age 68, which just shows you how determined I am to conquer this beast that has been the very large fly in my life's ointment. (How strained is that metaphor!) I am finally going to beat this beast.

At 5-1/2 months post-op, my weight loss has slowed, too. And it's obvious why -- I'm 70 pounds lighter than when I started, and I've upped my calorie and carb intake on purpose, to get my metabolism working harder. I've got 15 more pounds until I reach goal. But I'm not worried about it. Look at it this way: If you lose *only* 4.5 pounds a month from now on, you'll be at goal in 5 months. And that is not even close to "impossible." Yes, we now have to find other rewards than the rapidly dropping numbers on our scales. But we better find some other rewards, because soon comes weight maintenance, and the the scales won't be dropping at all. What will motivate us then? That's for each of us to discover and harness. Continuing good fortune to us all.

Postscript to my NOLA trip ... Last night I went back to the blank meals on MFP I hadn't filled out while in NOLA last week and did my best to approximate some dishes like "over-the-moon sauces" and "mystery pork gumbo." Turns out, you can do this pretty well. For example, since most sauces are high in fat, I just chose another high-in-fat sauce and recorded that. I also learned there are some (confirmed) pork gumbos listed in MFP. So it turns out that my big splurge dinner on Thursday night (with 1 slice of luscious bread with butter, 3 fried oysters, 1/2 a bowl of pork gumbo, and red wine) was almost 1,000 calories, 86 carbs and 29 Protein grams. I'm actually happy to learn all this, and I don't regret a single mouthful. And I'm so pleased that my sleeve helped me to resist eating a second piece of bread, 3 more fried oysters and the rest of the pork gumbo. Sleeve + MFP = power + knowledge

I had my first gallbladder attack 10 days after VSG surgery. My VSG surgeon took out my gall bladder (with 30 gallstones) 3 weeks later. Later, he told me that he used to do a sonogram pre-surgery and take out gallbaldders with lots of stones. But that now insurance won't spring for the pre-surgical ultrasound of the gallbladder, unless someone is complaining of their gallbladder. So I said, "So what I SHOULD have said before having VSG surgery was (while placing my hand just under my right breast, 'I have been having these strange sensations here under my right breast and around to my right back just under my right shoulder blade. Do you think that could be a problem with my gall bladder?' And if I'd said that you'd have had me do an ultrasound and, consequently, you'd have discovered I had 30 gallstones going into VSG surgery and you could have removed my gallbladder too. Right?" He grinned and said, "Right!"

Sure. Buck up.

What the hell. We're all gonna die. I just want to die later. And have a lot more fun in the meantime. I don't think I have even once worried that I won't "make it" this time. Protip: You've got to get your head in a positive space to have a good shot at being in the 50% who are successful long-term. So buck up.

I've never gone "low-carb" since surgery. I use My Fitness Pal religiously, so I do track carbs and a lot of other things. I do lose faster when I keep carbs low. But I don't care that much about losing weight really, really fast. I have only 15 more pounds to go (have lost 70 already). I also wanted to avoid any chance of post-bariatric hypoglycemia, which happens rarely, but it will really F**K you up! So I have tried to keep carbs around 60 or higher.

@@Thenewnic ... Sounds like you did wonderfully. However, your OP did sound like you felt you'd "blown it" completely. I think that's what set off the little firestorm earlier. I completely agree with @@CowgirlJane as I always do and with @@bewell and others who say this journey is about NOT falling prey to every temptation that sashays down the aisle. Of course, we'll Celebrate sometimes. But most of us are susceptible to more temptations than the average person. Most of "us" need to practice consistency, consistency, consistency to be successful long-term. I know my own weaknesses, and I know I do a lot better when I color within the lines. However, a Cafe du Monde beignet is not likely to derail me, since I don't have access to any beignets here at home. But buying chips and Cookies and candy and bringing those home -- now, that's a temptation of a different color. And I'd be a fool to invite that kind of temptation. Anyway ... my maunderings on a Monday afternoon. Best to us all!

Not sure who's yelling at who. Those who get their knickers in a knot ... yawn. Skip what you don't like and carry on. Anyway, back to the topic ... I, too, was in NOLA last week. Good times. I am addicted to My Fitness Pal. But even MFP doesn't have calories for a few dishes I sampled last week in amazing restaurants (!!!). So for the first time in 5-1/2 months I couldn't fill out MFP meals on a couple of days. However, I did pretty much what @@CowgirlJane and others suggested -- I ate Protein first, ate very small amounts of luscious amounts of things I knew I could never find on MFP, and did not overdrink. And I even had a beignet and cafe' au lait at Cafe du Monde. BTW, a Cafe du Monde beignet actually is listed in MFP. I think it's only 175 calories. Oh ... and this morning (Monday morning) when I did my weekly weigh-in I had lost 1.8 pounds last week. Huzzah! I also did a LOT of walking all over town, including Audubon Park. That's the great thing about active vacations -- you can get a lot of exercise in. And just because it's there doesn't mean you have to eat it. Or overeat it. No sure the above means I'm a self-righteous dieting Nazi or someone who sinned with beignets. LOL!

Depends on whether you're expected to eat / drink / walk / stand / speak / party a lot at this conference. I wouldn't have wanted to attend my own professional conference that soon after WLS. I recovered well, but you could have more stamina than I did.

Guarantees with the bypass? Oh, honey. There are no guarantees in life. The sleeve, the bypass, the band -- all of it -- come with no guarantees. They are only tools. YOU have to build new behaviors and then exercise those behaviors to keep your weight off. I hope you understand this before you have any surgery. Half of all WLS patients, no matter which tool they have inserted in them, gain back all or most of their excess weight lost. However, half of WLS patients do maintain at least half of their weight losses. And some of them maintain a much greater proportion of their weight losses. Which group you will be in is completely, totally up to you. Good luck.

I emailed my bariatric P.A. this morning who is so very up on the latest bariatric research, and she replied: "They used to say only calcium citrate after bariatric surgery, but latest is it makes no difference. I always say the best calcium is one you remember to take:) Calcium carb is taken with food/calcium citrate doesn't need food to absorb and can be taken anytime." I also use the Caltrate chocolate truffle chewables. Such a treat!