angelface811

Even at 20cc which is the same size I began with when I had my bypass a year ago weight loss should have occurred. At my support group meeting the other day my surgeon said he creates the stoma at 20cc-40cc. It doesn't stay at 20cc's for long. Typically at the one year mark the stoma will grow to be between 5-9 ounces. You can try out the "cottage cheese" test to get an idea of the size of your pouch. There are other possible reasons for low weight loss . I would consult your surgeon. My aunt also had bypass about 13 years ago she lost half her body weight from 300-150 and regained 50 but she has managed to take it back off. My advice would be to get checked out and don't put it off. Best of luck to you.

I was in a lot of pain post-op as well. I had back spasms and a lot of tenderness and pulling/ burning at my incision areas. Couldn't stand straight up for a week or like you said lay on my sides. I had a large wedge pillow which helped behind my back. I also had an electric recliner (I know so spoiled) and I sat at a 90 degree angle. I did a lot of walking but also had a lot of down time and help. Stay on top of your pain meds and heat typically helps as well. I also had an abdominal binder which helped me out a lot. Stay on top of those pain meds and when in doubt call your surgeon.

Started at size 18 bottom and 18/20 top by Lane Bryant sizes. Now I wear a 4/6 on bottom and xs-m shirt and still losing. Barely hit normal BMI. Not really shooting for a smaller size (but not complaining either) but I want to settle into a lower BMI and improve my measurements. Currently 34-30-38...working on the waist to a proportion I like on myself. Very happy with my progression and the way my body has responded.

I agree some of the previous responses were too harsh. In the future hopefully you will be able to add the watermelon. Your body could have also been quite thirsty and watermelon has a high Water content. I actually experience some dumping with certain fruits but for the most part handle them very well. I am almost one year post-op. I reached my surgeons goal a while ago and am working on reaching a lower BMI and increasing muscle mass. Previously I saw that someone had said no carbs and no sugar ever. Incorrect. Our bodies need carbs and sugar for brain function and energy etc. We simply have to be quite a bit more restrictive with them. Also, as far as not being able to have pastries and such. Guess what? I make my own. Yep...they are many bariatric friendly recipes and I have been coming up with my own as well. I make delicious flourless breads and muffins which my family loves. You can absolutely live deliciously but it does require a bit of research and experimentation in the kitchen. People always apologize and say "oh I'm sorry you can't have that can you," pitying me. So, when the family gets together I make bariatric friendly dishes and don't tell them until after...lol. Yesterday I made an apple crisp (no sugar except what is in the fruit) and I made a buffalo chicken dip with Greek yogurt and reduced fat/calorie cheese with quinoa chips which have 8g of Protein per serving plus all of the Protein in chicken, cheese, and Greek yogurt. I told them after they ate it all up, as well as a little for myself, it was "bariatric friendly" and they were shocked. Don't pity me people of the world I can still eat yummy foods...lol...but that is the stigma that comes with the surgery.
My guidelines are also very strict. In my classes we had forever do's and forever don'ts concerning food and behavior. We never had to buy any shakes or foods from the University's Hospital I went to (personally I think it's a way to take advantage and make a chunk of change from patients) but in order to think the best of people it could also be because they care about what you ingest those first few weeks. Like it was mentioned before guidelines vary from program to program. Even from the most prestigious of places. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I think we can all agree we want the best for each other and want all to succeed. Sometimes we just don't put it as delicately as we should. But such is our dealings with the outside world as well. Don't let it scare you away please continue to share and contribute your triumphs and struggles. ????

A recent study appears to show that "sleep-disordered breathing" accelerates the onset of "mild cognitive impairment" by at least 11 years.
http://acsh.org/2015/04/study-shows-that-snorers-vulnerable-to-earlier-cognitive-decline-why/
Before Bariatric surgery, my wife said I snored so much that it would keep her awake all night long. This condition went on for years. But within a few weeks after my RNY the snoring stopped. Sometimes I would wake up in the middle of the night and find my wife standing over me. I was sleeping so quietly that she was trying to figure out if I was still alive. It is good to know that the loss of this condition (snoring) has a ripple effect to minimize the threat of Alzheimer's disease.

Generally immediately after gastric bypass surgery, the most important requirements are Vitamins, fluids and Protein. food is secondary. Your body is converting your stored fat into energy to drive your body. Thus you lose weight. When it comes to food, consume the volume of food at each meal dictated by the requirements of the program.

May I ask if your mom is also overweight? If she is, she's probably jealous of your success at weight loss. If she's not, she's probably still jealous.
Anybody who tells you "you look better heavier" or "I liked you better when you were fat," is not used to how you currently look and probably just isn't willing to accept the change even if it's a positive one. Don't let it discourage you, I bet you're happier now than you were before and certainly healthier I imagine.

I agree some of the previous responses were too harsh. In the future hopefully you will be able to add the watermelon. Your body could have also been quite thirsty and watermelon has a high Water content. I actually experience some dumping with certain fruits but for the most part handle them very well. I am almost one year post-op. I reached my surgeons goal a while ago and am working on reaching a lower BMI and increasing muscle mass. Previously I saw that someone had said no carbs and no sugar ever. Incorrect. Our bodies need carbs and sugar for brain function and energy etc. We simply have to be quite a bit more restrictive with them. Also, as far as not being able to have pastries and such. Guess what? I make my own. Yep...they are many bariatric friendly recipes and I have been coming up with my own as well. I make delicious flourless breads and muffins which my family loves. You can absolutely live deliciously but it does require a bit of research and experimentation in the kitchen. People always apologize and say "oh I'm sorry you can't have that can you," pitying me. So, when the family gets together I make bariatric friendly dishes and don't tell them until after...lol. Yesterday I made an apple crisp (no sugar except what is in the fruit) and I made a buffalo chicken dip with Greek yogurt and reduced fat/calorie cheese with quinoa chips which have 8g of Protein per serving plus all of the Protein in chicken, cheese, and Greek yogurt. I told them after they ate it all up, as well as a little for myself, it was "bariatric friendly" and they were shocked. Don't pity me people of the world I can still eat yummy foods...lol...but that is the stigma that comes with the surgery.
My guidelines are also very strict. In my classes we had forever do's and forever don'ts concerning food and behavior. We never had to buy any shakes or foods from the University's Hospital I went to (personally I think it's a way to take advantage and make a chunk of change from patients) but in order to think the best of people it could also be because they care about what you ingest those first few weeks. Like it was mentioned before guidelines vary from program to program. Even from the most prestigious of places. Thank you for sharing your experience with us. I think we can all agree we want the best for each other and want all to succeed. Sometimes we just don't put it as delicately as we should. But such is our dealings with the outside world as well. Don't let it scare you away please continue to share and contribute your triumphs and struggles. ????

I'm 39 about to be 40 years old. I thought I could lose the weight on my own because I lost like 50 lbs like 5 years ago. I was about 300 lbs then. Then I met this guy and he moved into my home and messed up my life. I guess I was depressed or whatever. I gained the weight back and ballooned up to 371( I have never told anyone my weight before).
A couple months ago I went to my Dr. And found out that I was diabetic. That was my breaking point. I realized that not only do I not want to be fat but I want to be healthy and alive. I called the Cleveland Clinic in Weston, Florida and made an appointment and went through the pre approval process and got approved. Now here I am and my surgery us scheduled for April 30th.

Hello I am new to this site. Just wanted to put my story out there, in hopes of encouraging someone who is as big a chicken as I am. I went through the whole preop test, appointments, classes, physchological eval, EVERYTHING... two years ago. Insurance approved, was scheduled for surgery, then backed out. I just couldn't do it! I really worried about post op pain and getting back to feeling well.
Well, after I backed out. Things never got any better. I was so disgusted with myself. The weight was really getting to me, my back, my legs, my overall well being, so I decided to try again. I went to a different doctor and had to go through everything all over. Of course it took a lot of convincing to get my husband back on track. Well, I had a wonderful doctor. (Dr. Aaron Hoffman at Buffalo General Hospital) I am 9 days post op. I had my gastric sleeve surgery on 4/9/15. Now I wonder why I waited so long. On my post op appointment 4/14/15 I asked Dr. Hoffman if I could hug him, and I did. So happy to start this journey and shed these unwanted pounds.

I am so sorry sweetie...what a tough comment to receive. I think the previous comments saying that your mom just isn't use to the new you is right on the money. This seems to be the case with many of our friends and family. Stay strong and if you can't get support at home try a local support group or seek encouragement here. ????

Hi Magi Mojo I think you should also go for it. But I would also like to add that some surgeons have more experience operating on more mature patients. I'm sure they will do a thorough examination of you pre-surgically. In addition thorough bloodwork to check for any deficiency. Make sure that you make them work for the services you are paying for. My aunt Joanne was 60 when she had her gastric bypass. She had countless medical issues. She did beautifully. She gained back her mobility and spunk. She was probably around a size 28 and got down to an 8. She is now in her 70's and still going strong. Gone every weekend on some adventure...enjoying those golden years! Best of luck to you and if you need any support or encouragement utilize this site...we truly are a supportive bunch ????

I would recommend Quest Bars. While they are mostly between 180-200 calories they provide 20 grams of Protein each and around 1 gram of sugar. Also they contain plant-soluble Fiber. A whopping 17 grams of fiber. Very low in carbs. I would recommend buying the variety pack from quest directly to see what flavors you like but it is an excellent resource. Keeping one in your car and one in your purse is ideal. You definitely get the most bang for your buck with quest. So far I like strawberry cheesecake and apple pie the best. Still have more to try. Think Thin bars and Pure Protein also have excellent bars but contain more artificial ingredients and no where near the fiber content. Which helps things move along ????

I would recommend the 5 day pouch diet. You can get all of the information online. It begins with all liquid, to puree, then soft and normal food. You may not necessarily see a weight loss but it is an excellent way to re-boot your mind and body. Some people report feeling as they did shortly after surgery. As time goes by your stoma or pouch matures and does get larger. I believe ideally between 5.5 oz-9 oz. whereas in the beginning it is much smaller. I would also recommend journaling all that you are eating and drinking and what time. Not counting caffeinated beverages. In addition keep an activity log. Sometimes that alone can cause that aha! moment. Or perhaps schedule an appt with your nutritionist or bariatric doctor. I'm sure you will get over this little bump in the road especially with your determination. Best of luck to you!

I would recommend the 5 day pouch diet. You can get all of the information online. It begins with all liquid, to puree, then soft and normal food. You may not necessarily see a weight loss but it is an excellent way to re-boot your mind and body. Some people report feeling as they did shortly after surgery. As time goes by your stoma or pouch matures and does get larger. I believe ideally between 5.5 oz-9 oz. whereas in the beginning it is much smaller. I would also recommend journaling all that you are eating and drinking and what time. Not counting caffeinated beverages. In addition keep an activity log. Sometimes that alone can cause that aha! moment. Or perhaps schedule an appt with your nutritionist or bariatric doctor. I'm sure you will get over this little bump in the road especially with your determination. Best of luck to you!

How long has it been since you were losing? Are you gaining or remaining consistent. Are you exercising and if so are you taking measurements to see if you are losing inches?
It's hard to provide potential solutions without knowing more. Sometimes I will go 10 days back and forth on the same pound and then all of a sudden it kicks in. I would not call that a stall. I call that my body taking a bit of a breather.
The longest actually stall I had went 3 weeks without any weight loss but I did not gain either. The only thing that worked for me was adding a Protein heavy snack to raise my caloric intake. At the time I had been only getting around 400 calories a day. Now I eat about 950 on average of Protein heavy, good carb meals. I have been losing consistently ever since. Of course I sometimes will fight with a pound for about a week but I always win that battle.

@ kyriealaina I have to agree with @@suemagoo OMG!!! IT IS UNBELIEVABLE you not only took off all those pounds but you also took off years!! That does look like a mother and daughter photo! Let me pick my jaw up off the floor!! WOW! KUDOS TO YOU!!

My body is so super sensitive to sugar that this sometimes happens to me when eating certain fruits. I am almost a year post-op. Sometimes it can take an hour sometimes a day to feel better. But it can also spark a chain of events if you haven't really experienced it. When I experience "dumping syndrome" I just flat out don't feel good I get hot I get palpitations I feel a little weird in the head...lol. I never have the diarrhea thing. I go lay down and take a cool cloth. It's happened maybe 3 times in the past year. But each time with a fruit because when it comes to the diet I am pretty hard core. It happened with plain sweet potato and apples. Each time it triggered my anxiety which makes sense with the symptoms. I don't eat sugar, breads, Pasta, etc. But I am actually thankful that my body reacts this way to tell me "hey girlfriend it might be fruit but it still contains sugar so just be mindful." I named my pouch Bob...yep...and he talks to me not so much in words but actions...lol...jk. It will be ok and if in doubt pick up that phone and call your doctor. Best wishes!????

Once you are healed and able to progress to normal foods you have countless options in regards to food. The key is proper education on nutrition before having surgery and not trying to "wing it" after surgery. Suggested post-operative eating after surgery in regards to all bariatric surgery is the same. Just because you have the RNY doesn't guarantee you will have dumping syndrome. There is a percentage of patients that will ingest sugary and/or fried foods and will not experience the syndrome.
Unfortunately, many patients think dumping syndrome is simply having immediate diarrhea after eating. Diarrhea is only one of the potential symptoms of dumping. Other symptoms of dumping can be abdominal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, rapid heart rate, hot flashes, feeling faint, confusion. Reference the mayo Clinic's website they have a great description.
In addition some patients have reported dumping after eating certain fruits. I am one of them. After all fruit does have fructose a.k.a sugar in it. The truth of the matter is until we have our surgeries whether it be the sleeve or bypass we don't know how our new bodies will react.
I know this is lengthy but another point is that some of our loved ones think we can't eat very much because we can't eat the same foods they can. So they see us as poor deprived human beings who are being punished by having this surgery. We are choosing to live a healthier lifelong lifestyle. I love to bring bariatric friendly dishes and Snacks to gatherings not just so that I will have something to eat but to show them how many yummy foods we can have. Many people end up re-gaining weight after reaching their goal because they think I've lost it so now I can partake in everything or because they thought weight was the issue when in fact it was a symptom of something they haven't dealt with emotionally. Lots of things to think about huh? I am so happy with my decision to have gastric bypass and after losing the weight I continue to educate myself and others on nutrition and coming up with new dishes. After learning how to eat I don't feel deprived...I live deliciously!

Once you are healed and able to progress to normal foods you have countless options in regards to food. The key is proper education on nutrition before having surgery and not trying to "wing it" after surgery. Suggested post-operative eating after surgery in regards to all bariatric surgery is the same. Just because you have the RNY doesn't guarantee you will have dumping syndrome. There is a percentage of patients that will ingest sugary and/or fried foods and will not experience the syndrome.
Unfortunately, many patients think dumping syndrome is simply having immediate diarrhea after eating. Diarrhea is only one of the potential symptoms of dumping. Other symptoms of dumping can be abdominal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, rapid heart rate, hot flashes, feeling faint, confusion. Reference the mayo Clinic's website they have a great description.
In addition some patients have reported dumping after eating certain fruits. I am one of them. After all fruit does have fructose a.k.a sugar in it. The truth of the matter is until we have our surgeries whether it be the sleeve or bypass we don't know how our new bodies will react.
I know this is lengthy but another point is that some of our loved ones think we can't eat very much because we can't eat the same foods they can. So they see us as poor deprived human beings who are being punished by having this surgery. We are choosing to live a healthier lifelong lifestyle. I love to bring bariatric friendly dishes and Snacks to gatherings not just so that I will have something to eat but to show them how many yummy foods we can have. Many people end up re-gaining weight after reaching their goal because they think I've lost it so now I can partake in everything or because they thought weight was the issue when in fact it was a symptom of something they haven't dealt with emotionally. Lots of things to think about huh? I am so happy with my decision to have gastric bypass and after losing the weight I continue to educate myself and others on nutrition and coming up with new dishes. After learning how to eat I don't feel deprived...I live deliciously!

If your program is similar to my own you will be on soft foods. Both WDW and Disneyland have excellent options for people who have had bariatric surgery. There is Piccolo Pete's at the Magic Kingdom. You can get refried Beans or tortilla Soup without the strips. They have yogurt parfaits but you have to be careful with those as they can contain quite a bit of sugar. If you have advanced to regular food they have lots of awesome options including quinoa and lean chicken meals plus salads. Lots of fresh fruit. They also offer a pomegranate lemonade made with Splenda which is 5-15 calories per serving. I love it. If you are staying at the resort each one has there own dining areas and convenience stores and many healthy options. They carry Dasani and Vitamin Water Zero in the park. I did take some Protein Bars to supplement. Even a few shakes. I took my pedometer and walked over 70 miles while I was there. It can be quite humid and you will be sweating so really be on your hydration. I was very happy and relieved with their options. If you happen to not feel so swell they even have medical centers at each park. It was one of the best vacations of my life. Just listen to your body. If you need to take a break then take a break. You can even pull up the menus for each quick service and dining room online and pre-plan. You will have a blast!!

If your program is similar to my own you will be on soft foods. Both WDW and Disneyland have excellent options for people who have had bariatric surgery. There is Piccolo Pete's at the Magic Kingdom. You can get refried Beans or tortilla Soup without the strips. They have yogurt parfaits but you have to be careful with those as they can contain quite a bit of sugar. If you have advanced to regular food they have lots of awesome options including quinoa and lean chicken meals plus salads. Lots of fresh fruit. They also offer a pomegranate lemonade made with Splenda which is 5-15 calories per serving. I love it. If you are staying at the resort each one has there own dining areas and convenience stores and many healthy options. They carry Dasani and Vitamin Water Zero in the park. I did take some Protein Bars to supplement. Even a few shakes. I took my pedometer and walked over 70 miles while I was there. It can be quite humid and you will be sweating so really be on your hydration. I was very happy and relieved with their options. If you happen to not feel so swell they even have medical centers at each park. It was one of the best vacations of my life. Just listen to your body. If you need to take a break then take a break. You can even pull up the menus for each quick service and dining room online and pre-plan. You will have a blast!!

Awesome! I'm not wasting my second chance either...Logging in everything is so important. Not just to tally what you've been eating but for making adjustments as well and then some. Here is to a lifetime of success!

Awesome! I'm not wasting my second chance either...Logging in everything is so important. Not just to tally what you've been eating but for making adjustments as well and then some. Here is to a lifetime of success!

Hi Magi Mojo I think you should also go for it. But I would also like to add that some surgeons have more experience operating on more mature patients. I'm sure they will do a thorough examination of you pre-surgically. In addition thorough bloodwork to check for any deficiency. Make sure that you make them work for the services you are paying for. My aunt Joanne was 60 when she had her gastric bypass. She had countless medical issues. She did beautifully. She gained back her mobility and spunk. She was probably around a size 28 and got down to an 8. She is now in her 70's and still going strong. Gone every weekend on some adventure...enjoying those golden years! Best of luck to you and if you need any support or encouragement utilize this site...we truly are a supportive bunch ????