wildGoose

I'm 61! I'm 4 months post surgery. I've never had a problem, and I've lost 75 lbs since I started the pre-surgery liquid diet. I'm so very glad I did it.

I just passed 4 months. I'm still losing. I eat about 700 calories a day. I hear the first 6 months are the best.

I use quest bars. I get them at GNC. If you join, you get a box for $24.99. I also use premier protein shakes. I get them at Costco - the best price is $25 for a case of 18. Quest bars are 20 grams protein. Premier shakes are 30 grams. I'm ordering genepro right now!

I take Flintstones. I you aren't using chewable vitamins you may not be getting all the benefits. There's a reason why they recommend chewables.

I'm 61. I had RNY October 28. I have not regretted it at all. I feel so much better. Good luck.

I use it every day. It really helps me stay on track.

Bariatric foodie and EggFace both have good blogs'

Colace comes in a gel capsule. My experience with any laxatives is a little complicated. SmoothMove tea, which I buy from the herbal tea section at Safeway, the big California grocery store, is my favorite. I buy the smooth move Peppermint. You can also get it at Amazon or GNC. What I find is that no laxative works well if i do it all the time. So I find I have to mix it up somewhat. Constipation is my top complaint about this whole process. I have been using a combination of prunes, SmoothMove and colace. I don't go every day. But since I still don't eat very much, it seems to work if I go two or three times a week. Good luck.

Even water has been hard for me. I can only stand certain kinds. I used to be a total carnivore, but I don't like meat

Foamies! For me they happen if I eat too much. Even if I take one extra bite. My new stomach at work. I hate it when it happens. My body is a very good teacher.

It has happened to me enough that I know not to take "one extra bite." But tonight I did it again. I suffered for half an hour when the foamies happened and then it was over. Now I will drink Peppermint tea. one extra bite just doesn't work for me. It really takes about 12 hours for my pouch to relax again.

The idea of failure does me a great favor as it helps me stay on track. I really want to honor the gift of this surgery so I can stay on track. I can see that I am making new habits that increase my chances of success. That is the knowledge that I hang on to. Good luck.

NSVs I like to take baths. It used to be that if I was in the tub, my fat would block the Water from going all the way to back. I would have to move so the water could fill the whole tub! Now there is plenty of room. A belt that did not fit when I bought it now needs new holes drilled in it. I am going to keep using the belt because it is a very happy reminder of how much smaller I am. Also, many people do not recognize me! What a riot!

I'm almost four months out. At your point, I was basically eating as much as I could! Not very much. ¼ cup of food three times a day. Then my PCP upped me to eating six times a day. Today, I still eat 6 times a day, but I am eating 750 calories a day. Still losing. I suggest you use something like Fitness Pal, or some other food monitoring program that will let you log your food. It really helps! Also, while we read about dumping, I don't think it is common. I think that as the procedure gets refined, there are fewer problems like that. Good luck.

It was suggested to me that I not drink at all.

I started to explore the idea of weight loss surgery in 2007. At that point I weighed 320 pounds and had several co-morbidities, but they were manageable. For some reason, I could not get past the idea of having my intestines rearranged. I went to fat farms, weight loss centers, etc. I got my weight down only to have it go back up. In 2013 I saw a cardiologist who insisted I have surgery. I finally knew that if I wanted to live, I had to lose weight, and that the surgery would be my only way. My diabetes was in bad shape, and I was living in compression socks and taking more and more medication. What I did not notice was that I was losing the vision in my left eye. In October of 2014, I finally had the surgery. Things started improving immediately. Before the surgery, I had an eye exam that revealed my failing vision. I was referred to an ophthalmologist who prescribed surgery. Eye surgery is not pleasant as you have to be awake for the procedure so they only use a local. The eye problem was a result of high blood pressure and diabetes. There is no doubt about it. The vision in my eye is improving, but I still do not know if my vision will improve, or be correctable with glasses. If you think you need the surgery, please do not delay. If you have good health but need to lose weight, please remember that the health issues are waiting for you down the road. I didn't have problems until I was past 50. Weight loss for vanity's sake is a good reason for surgery. But at the same time you are pretty much assuring that you will avoid some major health problems. Good luck as you explore your possibilities. Best wishes.

HI: I had some low potassium numbers. Mostly from the pre-surgical liquid diet. It was fixed with a large pill. Other than that, no problems whatsoever. Well, I did have a few foamie incidents, but not for a while. Hang in there.

We want so much, so fast. I'm actually a RNY patient, but this is sort of an issue of mine. Pre surgery, I was on metformin and glipizide. They took me off the flip but left me on the metformin. Surgery was 10-28-14. My levels are around 116, fasting. That isn't great, but I'll take it. My a1c is 6. I'd like to be off all drugs, but I'm not. At least not yet. Pre-surgery my levels were always around 160. I am happy with my improvement. I strongly suggest you journal all your food. I use fitness pal for that. I'm 61 and think that might have something to do with my situation. I work at staying grateful. good luck.

I had comorbidities. Diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea. that was my main reason. Every time I saw MORBID obesity in writing, I was terrified. I was living with the fat, I thought. would I do it again? Absolutely. people without comorbidities ... Well you don't have them yet. if it had just been about fat, I'd have had it 8 years ago. I wish I had done it then.

I cannot find it!

I don't know why, but for some reason, drinking a shake makes me feel full while Water does not. I think our bodies just know there is nutrition in the shake while there is none in the water.

BellaBloom: I see that you are in California. Are you near the central coast at all? If you are, message me. Maybe I can help you. Hang in there. I really have to believe that one day you will wake up be without pain. Take Care.

THIS WAS ORIGINALLY on health.com http://abcnews.go.com/Health/things-whos-weight-loss-surgery/story?id=28441589

you can do myfitnesspal.com without a smartphone, I actually like it better on the web, than iOS. it really helps me stay honest about what I'm eating.

So much good stuff on this page. I had my gall bladder out in 2002. I feel so lucky for that. I feel lucky when my pants fall down, and that my "jeans belt" that used to not fit at all, is now in need of another hole. Even shoes that used to not fit are too big. I'm looking for a job so I can buy clothes.