Ginger Snaps

I'm on an antidepressant and mood stabilizer and I've lost at an incredible weight. If the anxiety drugs are doing it, maybe you could try switching. But, you should also consider working with a NUT, looking at exactly what you are eating and when and try to get back to the basics if you have areas where you're not following the plan so good.

You're going to have to get used to a new way of eating after surgery, so maybe tackling it head on through the holidays is the right thing for you. I've made it through parties, buffets and "eatin' meetins'" at church just fine. I'll be going with friends to a Thanksgiving buffet and I know I'll just eat tiny portions and be fine with it. And because I eat so slowly, I'll finish my little portions about the same time they are kicking back, unbuckling belts and complaining about how full they feel! Regarding the relationship, listen to your heart. If you feel like it's worth fighting for, try to get into some counseling. If not, get out soon. There's no good in dragging out a relationship you know is not worth it in the long run. Cut your losses quickly. Our "spidey-senses" tingle for a reason -- listen to them!

Opposite problem. When I was heavy, I couldn't wear petites... guess having a big belly and butt sticking out takes up some length. But I had to roll sleeves up. Now, instead of shopping in the plus section, I'm having to shop in the little tiny part of the store for petites. Still better than plus, but a pain!

Have you read the book Success Habits of Weight Loss Surgery Patients? http://www.bsciresourcecenter.com/proddetail.php?prod=2.SHBook It's full of basic steps to follow to help keep you on track. Like not drinking with your meal. Focusing on Protein. Exercise... maybe it's time for you to read up like you did pre-surgery and get back to basics. And, even though your doctor retired, you might try contacting your insurance to see if nutritional counseling would be covered. They would probably be more helpful than a surgeon if you aren't having complications. You'll find lots of support on this site but you need to educate yourself for what you should be eating and doing and then, the hard part, do it! Best wishes

Is it hard to keep food down? Does it hurt when you eat? Or is it just you don't really want to eat because you don't feel hungry? I'm almost 5 months out and I still don't feel real hunger unless I haven't eaten in 6-7 hours. I know it's not healthy but yesterday I was doing a lot of running around and I had a yogurt in the morning and didn't eat again until about 7 that night. Never felt hunger or weak. When I'm on my regular schedule, I try to just eat when it's time to eat. Small Breakfast, small snack around 10:30, lunch at 12, afternoon snack around 3:30, dinner around 5:30 and then a night snack about 8:30.

I've got two new ones... When your closet has more space than it has clothes. Did a major purge today -- I have a huge walk-in closet and I ended up with 6 trash bags of clothes off of two of the racks. Just gave up because I was tired... still have so much to go through. When cold weather hits (like it did in NJ this weekend) and you have to go shopping immediately because the size 16 coat you bought last year hangs off you like a sack. Went to Kohls and bought a pretty new wool coat and one of the Columbia "interchange" jackets where you can wear the fleece liner, the shell or both together. Both jackets? SIZE SMALL!!!!!! From a tight extra large last winter to SMALLS???? OMG! Life is good!

@@Wallflower7522 Woot Woot! I did my first (since college > 25 years ago) and walked the middle and did it in 46 minutes. A week ago today, I did my second and actually ran the entire thing -- 42 minutes. Are you like me, did you ever DREAM you'd be running??? Great Job!

@A_NEW_START2014 Congrats and best wishes on your journey! I had a hiatal hernia repaired at the same time as my bypass and I don't feel like it changed the experience very much from what I hear about others who only have bypass. I know that the hernia symptoms I had (pain in chest when straining, reflux) it's all gone. You have a TON of resources here on the site where you can get all kinds of information and support. You have found the right spot!!!

@Ethomas15 I think there are some online sites that let you put in your measurements and such and then will "shrink" you but I don't know where they are. Maybe someone else can help with that. I'm 4-1/2 months out and 8 pounds from my goal. I was this weight when I was about 23 (48 now) but I still didn't feel like I would know what I would look like after surgery because it's 25 years and 3 children later. I still don't feel as small as I apparently am. Other people comment on how sexy and great I look and I look in the mirror and don't see it. I can definitely see it in pictures but it just doesn't happen when I look in the mirror. So, there is a little disconnect that takes some time to adjust to. As far as how I FEEL goes -- huge, tremendous change! I feel bones in places I haven't (like hip bones in front). And my butt gets sore sitting on a hard chair too long -- not as much padding there as before. I can put my fingers. My FOREARMS feel so bony now -- the used to have a huge cushion of fat. Of all things to notice -- forearms and wrists! My wrists are much smaller as evidences by bracelets that used to be too short/tight. It's probably different for everyone, but even if you can't imagine yourself at the smaller size, you'll LOVE it when you get there!

I went on vacation at 8 weeks -- fortunately, it was in Belize on the beach and fresh seafood was available all the time. Baked or blackened or grilled fish -- perfect for you and I'd bet you're able to find it in most restaurants in Vegas. Check to see if there are add-ons that you could get from your husband's meal. For example, Red Robin will let you add another patty on your burger for $2, so when I was very early out, I would just add on to my son's burger and have them bring the extra patty on a little plate for me. Most restaurants will add on a grilled chicken breast or a skewer of shrimp (one of my favorite proteins!). Also look at the appetizer menu. Chicken wings are usually fried and probably aren't the best choice. I get nachos sometimes -- On the Border has some with pieces of fajita meat, refried Beans and cheese on them. I scrape off the beans, meat and cheese and eat that -- leave the chips on the plate. 4-5 of those and I'm full. A lunch portion of fajitas is probably a good choice... eat the meat and then a little of the veggies. Leave the tortillas on the plate. Take home the leftovers for the next meal. Take Protein powders that can be mixed with Water (Syntrax nectar has some great flavors). Almonds are also great to have on hand... I eat them all the time for Snacks. Protein Bars are good to have just in case you can't find a good meal choice. You can do this -- just look at menus differently than you did before surgery. Ginger

I would think after a significant healing time, you should be able to do whatever the heck you want. I had bypass and my doctor didn't give me any restrictions from any activity that would be "for life". I was able to start lifting weights again after 4 weeks and didn't have any physical restrictions at that time. For something that could be traumatic to the body like wrestling, you might need a longer time to ensure everything is completely healed but I can't think of why you'd have a lifetime restriction from wrestling. BTW - I don't admit it to a lot of friends but I love wrestling!

@TashaB88 Just wanted to see how you are doing? Sounds like they found so many things that might be contributing... I hope you are on the upswing and things have really turned around for you. And congrats on the weight loss... hope the health is getting better, too.

I personally don't get flu shots for personal reasons. They protect against certain types of respiratory flu but not stomach viruses. I had a touch of a stomach virus and it was pretty miserable but like you guessed in your post, it's not terrible terrible because there's just so much less volume to deal with. Even the dry heaving stuff wasn't as bad... maybe because the stomach is just so much smaller it doesn't have the muscle mass to cramp up the entire belly or something.

Original V8 according to their website (http://www.v8juice.com/Products.aspx) has 10 carbs, 6 sugars and 2 grams of Protein in an 8 oz serving. I would probably dump if I drank these with that many carbs. And I don't like to drink my calories except Protein shakes. I'm not a big fan of veggies either. After I eat the 4 oz or so of a protein (or a 20 gram shake) at a meal, I don't have room for more than 2-3 baby carrots or a couple of bites of squash or maybe a couple of bites of broccoli. I wouldn't eat those things before surgery but now, with such a small portion, it doesn't bother me to eat a bite or two. And even with just that small amount of veggies, my labs all came back good at 3 months. So, maybe give those veggies another try -- just a bite or two really.

I'm sorry you're struggling through such a tough period. I can tell you're from the NY/NJ/PA area because you mentioned Wawa. Wawa actually has some great choices that will help you stay on track. They always have fresh fruit in the stores. You can get a sub sandwich but ask them to leave the bun off and put it in one of the little bowls instead. They also sometimes have hot roast beef or hot turkey bowls that are in a nice rich sauce that definitely qualifies as comfort food. You can usually find Vitamin Water Zero there for a nice change of pace from just bottled water. And you can always pick up almonds in the little single serving (or for me, two serving) packs. When I'm driving long distances like that, I try to stop at a rest stop at least half way through and find a bench and do a lot of all-over body stretches... I do a modified downward-dog putting my hands on the picnic table and bending over (hard to describe). Do arm stretches and leg stretches... really helps you loosen up from the tension of driving. As far as non-food treats go -- check to see if there is a massage therapy school in your area... they have really low-cost massages sometimes. Or beauty schools and get some new hairdo or coloring. A friend goes to a local school like that and her hair always looks fabulous and it's very inexpensive. You might also see if there are some family caregiver support groups at your local hospitals. It might help you to hear that you aren't alone in the struggle. Best wishes!

Tiny Tummy

@@CowgirlJane -- My kind of girl, Jane! I'm turning off the lights in the house, locking the door and heading out to see my favorite band and burn off a few calories dancing all night. I'm wearing the Robin costume in my profile pic without the Under Armor shirt and over the knee socks (this was for an event outside and it was cold) but maybe some white tights and high heeled fierce booties.

Try Googling online... I found these samples using the phrase "travel insurance refund surgery": http://www.examplesof.com/business_letters/letter_to_travel_agency_cancelling_trip.html Also check with the traveller's insurance policy -- call them and ask what they require as proof for a covered event. Most of the things I found online said the letter needed to be on the doctor's letterhead. I don't think your doctor should have to say anything about the type of surgery or why you need it. Just something like "My patient, xxx, requires surgery on December 8th and will be unable to travel from this date to this date. I wouldn't go into detail with the insurance company... I don't think they can legally ask for details regarding the surgery or medical necessity as long as your doctor says it's medically necessary. Don't offer any more information than the minimum unless they come back asking for more details. Good luck! (and btw, your surgery date is my birthday!)

For me it was 18 pound bags of cat litter... I was walking across Target parking lot lugging one to the car shortly after surgery and thinking how heavy it was and then I realized I had lost about that much weight since surgery. How did I even walk around all day carrying that? Today, by my calculator, I'm down 3.5 bags of 18 pound cat litter... I don't think I could even carry that many bags at once but just 4 months ago, I was walking around with that much weight all the time. This surgery has been WONDERFUL!

@@butterfyeffect -- love it! I have a selfie of me in a dressing room in a size 6 that I immediately texted to my daughter! You know you've had weight loss surgery when you drop 62 pounds in 4 months and look forward to dressing up in Halloween costumes now:

@@Mojo56 -- I work in pharma clinical trials and from your post, it sounds like not only are you interested this procedure working wonderfully for you, but that you are also inclined to contribute to scientific research. Millions of people participate in clinical trials to get the best benefit for themselves but they also feel like they are contributing to the general good for health improvements. If that's how you feel and your doctor says he thinks it will be best for you, I'd go for it.

I have two good friends at work who keep candy bowls on their desk with the GOOD stuff (Reese's mini cups and Kisses -- my two absolute favorites pre-surgery). They were the only 2 people at work I told about the surgery before I had it. I wanted them to know because I was always their biggest "customer" (big in more than one way) and they would also drop candy off on my desk if they knew I was having a rough day. I wanted them to slap my hand if I unconciously reached for their candy bowls. And I certainly didn't want to come back to work after surgery and find a mound of candy on my desk. My strategy is -- just walk on by. I try to pat myself on the back everytime for doing it because it is a temptation. However, I know for me personally, chocolate is a slippery slope and I need to stay away because I won't stop when I start.