green*eyed*girl

OMG I could have written this post, wow, I am 8 months out, sugar addict, and gained 4 pounds thanks to my indulging! I do not have dumping and sugar is my downfall. I did so well for 8 months and now I had to realize that I can only rely on MYSELF when it comes to sugar coz dumping is not stopping me and I can have a LOT of chocolate and cakes without any problems. It was like an icy shower when I saw the numbers on the scale. Wake up call

Oh Becky my dear, I see you are very desperate, I honestly say I wish I could take some of your pain and carry it for you but unfortunatly I can not do that for you and you have to walk this walk. DO NOT GIVE UP FOR A SECOND!!! You hear me? It will get all better and you have to believe in it! It was a good decision to drop the next semester. School can wait you have a whole lot of time to do that, most important is your health. You need rest, and you need to relax. I am glad your doctor seems compatent and you are in good hands. Please keep us updated, I know you are tired but more regular updates please I have you in my mind and sending you healing vibes across the ocean! xxx

Beni, I guess it is a bit complicated. First off, not everybody has health insurance. Even if they have insurance maybe bariatric surgery is excluded. Second, it is difficult to come up with that much cash (more affordable in Mexico if you are willing to take that route), times are though. Lastly it is not an easy decision to make. I was going back and forth for 3 years when finally I made up my mind. I can say that making a final decision was the hardest part about this surgery. I had to deal with shame, defeat, constant questioning myself "why can't I just lose weight on my own, safely?", guilt, and I was scared of the unknown. It took a while to come to terms with myself, and admit that I just can not do this without surgical help. It was a horrible feeling. Share or not to share? It is such a personal experience that only you know if you would like to involve others or if you want to keep it for yourself or share only with close family. Do as YOU like, and do not worry about what anybody thinks or say, because it does not matter. The only thing that matters is that you are on your way to a healthier life. And everybody who judge us can do me a favour. I honestly could not care less. I just stand there and smile, and then I go and I buy a size smaller jeans coz the old ones are falling off. So who is the real winner here? I say this to everybody who is hesitating and scared and not sure if this surgery will work - it will. You will lose weight EASILY if you follow a few simple rules. It is going to be much easier to lose weight than you have ever imagined in your life. It might take time, but slow and steady wins the race, this surgery is designed to make you lose weight. So unless you stuff your face with cakes all day, eat chocolate and sweets, drink sugary drinks - you will lose weight.

Well, I know I will not be popular with this, but I think losing weight after having RNY done is much easier then trying to lose weight without this surgery. I know, coz I tried to lose weight way too many times before I had my surgery. I was always successful for a minute and then gained it back all - the usual story, I am sure most of you can relate. I might be lucky because I had a very easy surgery and recovery. I do not suffer from dumping (only mild symptomes sometimes) and I can tolerate any kind of food I try. My taste did not change and my life remained the same - except food do not rule me anymore. I eat small quantities, and first time in my life I am happy and satisfied with that. This is brand new, this is good, liberating...it is easy, I get full fast, I count calories like a pro, stay away from carbs and sugar and try to excersize. Is it really that hard? I mean I used to suffer way more when I way trying to lose weight before my RNY. Is this really NOT the easy way out? I can only speak for myself, and for me it was/is... and I would not change a single thing about it

Yes, it is very hard not to compare ourselfes with ppl who had their surgery around the same time as us. Or with the same starting weight and stats. My friend had her RNY 1 week before me, and she is at her goal!!!! I am so happy for her, but mindblowing wooow I still have 1/3 of my excess weight to lose and she is at goal and I am stalling my little heart out! I want it faster, I want it now, I want it all. And then I stop myself and I think I am so pathetic. I already feel good, healthier, prettier. I have all the time in the world, it is not a race and I have no reason to panic. I do well. So why do I beat myself up? I should be happy! I have to remember that I am lucky I am alive after this major surgery, and I am healthy. No complications, no problems, smooth ride. I have never been this size before, I gave up dieting before losing this much, so I have to celebrate my success. So what if you "only" lose 10 lbs in a month? When was the last time you lost 10 pounds in a month before your surgery? Right? me neither... When I am stalling I tell myself that I am in my skin shrinking phase

I had my RNY in April, and things are going well. I feel fine, I had a smooth surgery and an easy healing. I was able to tolerate ANY kind of food from the get go, no problems whatsoever, no dumping, no nausea, no throwing up. So it's been over 6 months since my surgery and in the past few weeks every time I eat something that has sugar in it I get rapid heartbeat for about 15-20 minutes, and it starts about 10 minutes after I finished my meal. This is brand new to me and I am shocked. I also get very tired after my meals (if my meal contains sugar). Even if I eat a yoghurt I have these sympthomes or if I eat boiled potato??? Is this dumping??? Is it possible to get/start dumping syndrome 6 months after RNY???? Did anybody experienced the same??

Thanks @@onikenbai, that is what I wanted to know if dumping can develope months after RNY - I did not know it is pretty common. I am sure it is dumping and now I watch my sugar intake, this sucks coz I never had to do this before and i like my carbs and sugar I often do 12 hours shifts at my work and now I have to think long and hard what food to take with me for lunch as I do not want to raid the toilet or feel ill, oh well, I guess I will be through this one too!

Thank you DLCoggin, yes, I am loving the changes and the lighter me, but I still have ways to go! About the walking, wow, another great post, never realized that walking shorter distances multiple times a day can be as effective as doing a long walk once a day. I ditched my car when I had my surgery and I decided to walk everywhere. I do not take the bus, I just walk (mind that I live in a fairly small town that is pretty safe). So my workplace is on the top of a hill and I am huffin'and puffin' every morning by the time I climb up to work but it is a great workout, also my work keeps me on my feet all day long and I walk a lot. You would think it makes my feet ache but nooooo, my arthritis pain is gone for good and I feel fantastic even after a 12 hour shift. I walk to the stores, I carry the groceries, I try to turn everydays chores into a small workout - just like you by walking around the block while waiting for your prescription. Yes, I say it again, the choice in in our hands, we have this amazing tool and I am so glad for it.

Hopefully you will have a smooth surgery, fingers crossed! I personally hope you will get the bypass it's amazing! I am in the UK but had my surgery in Hungary, well, let me know if you need any help or advice. Best of luck to you!

I'm following your posts from a long time now and your wisdom never fails, I love to read your posts and you are truly a role model. You really make it clear: the choice is in our hands and everything else is just BS, whining and crying. I do not have any idea about your 4th year goal but I know one thing for sure: whatever you wan't to achive, you will I wish you the best, and please keep posting!

Well done, I wish I could do as well as you but I am still a sucker for carbs and can't go without them. Your diet looks just about right and you will be very successful if you keep it up!

In my opinion what you are experiencing is normal. Early out I was able to eat a lot and never had full feeling. It is important to watch your calorie intake, you do not wanna go over whatever your doctor recommended for you. My surgeon is very liberal with diet recommendations and guidlines, I was on soft/pureed 5 days out, and started solids (well chewed) 10 days out. I was super hungry and soooo ready to chew and eat real meal. So when I started to eat solids I still did not have full feeling, I had to measure my food as I did not want to strech my tool. Full feeling came back around 5-6 weeks out. Now my restriction is amazing. Your tummy needs time to heal and the nerves has to heal too, it takes time, but you will be fine, careful now, and everything will work out!

So, one of my main reason for choosing the sleeve over the bypass is that I do not have to be concerned about malabsorption issues and I will less likely develop Vitamin deficiency. Right? Or am I mistaken? I have found this article, and I am shocked, I mean those are pretty bad numbers! "Over 5 years of follow-up, 77.9% of patients developed Vitamin D deficiency, 41.2% had Iron deficiency, 39.7% had zinc deficiency, 39.7% had a vitamin B12 deficiency, 25% had a folic acid deficiency, and 10.3% developed anemia. These deficiencies occurred "despite routine supplementation, in a higher rate than we had expected," the researchers wrote." http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/Obesity/40490

Depends how far out you are. At the beginnings I had to eat in every 2-3 hours or I would get stomach/hunger pains. But my doctor wanted me to transition to eating 3 times a day asap and no snacks only 3 main meals. According to him that is the key. It took me a few months to be able to comply with his order and not every day I am able to do it, I still prefer to eat multiple times a day, hey, I am still a foodie, but he is right, I do not need that many meals.

I was the same way, and do not panic, the full feeling will come to you but it takes time. It took a good 6 weeks for me to feel full. I was very surprised be the amount I was able to eat 2-3 weeks after my surgery and I thought great, I am screwed lol but the full feeling came soon, and the restriction is amazing. One thing though, the full feeling that you used to know is gone, no more, forget it. At this time when you are full you will feel rather sick...bloated...nauseous...it's not that happy, warm feeling we used to get before the surgery. I miss that feeling Soon you will be surprised how little food you need. Oh and from pureed, soft food I can still eat a whole lot more, watch it when you switch to dense protein, hmmmm 2-3 bites and you just wanna stop eating FOREVER

3 months out your blood work is usually fine because your body still uses your reserves, but they will eventually get empty. I just had my 6 months check up and I have low iron level - I was expecting this, now have to take extra supplement. I would go for the 6 month blood work, then 12 month and if that's all good then once a year...

I virtually had zero pain, it was really a breeze. My pain tolarence is next to nothing so I was really worried before my surgery, but no pain at all.

@@pupichupi, you soooo get this!!! We are so alike it's amazing! I had knee problems too prior to surgery, now my back is bothering me, well, I am starting to work out from this month to strengthen my core muscles in hopes to ease the pain. I converted to back sleeping too!!! I do not like it I am lost, I miss my fat sleep And I have an amazing fiancee too, and in no way I would ever even think about any other man, so this attention is really uncalled for. The stares, the comments, just please stop Yes, we get this, I am so happy to be healthier, but its a strange journey for sure