Ellisa

I too was extemely tired the first several weeks following surgery. Once I was able to eat and drink more it helped. Also, I switched to liquid vitamins because I couldn't keep the others down. 1/2 Tsp of infant vitamins daily has made a huge difference.

I don't think it's just WLS patients who are told they shouldn't take calcium carbonate. There's some controversy about the absorbability of it and whether or not it contributes to certain kidney stones. I read recently that calcium (both citrate and carbonate) require high amounts of acid to absorb and should be taken with meals so that your stomach is producing acid. Who knows. :drool: My only issue with Viactive calcium and Vitamins is the sugar and fat, but maybe that's so they will absorb better. I prefer to take infant liquid vitamins after I "discovered" them. 1/2 teaspoon and chase with a sip of tea.

In my first 3 weeks following surgery I lost 25 lbs. Not a lbs since. BUT I realize that most of that weight loss was dehydration. I actually gained a bit once I was able to get enough fluids and more food/calories. But that's back off. I'm not discouraged because this happened following my band surgery too. I continue to lose inches and can wear smaller clothes now than I could when the 25 lbs first came off. I expect that once that 25 lbs comes out to an average of 2 lbs per week I'll start losing again. Oh wait... just got off the scales and I'm down 1 lb. Need to update my profile. LOL I don't count calories or anything else. I try to keep nutrition in mind when eating and make better choices MOST of the time. Regarding the challenges of staying clothed during weight loss. I started at 250 the day I was banded 2.5 years ago. My lowest weight was 160 (just about where I am now). I found that skirts that weren't designed to fit anywhere except the waist worked well. The ones with draw strings are even better. But I've actually pinned the waist (by the time I would have altered them they would have been too big LOL) and wore shirts to cover. I was fortunate enough to have a sister who was banded before me who lives out of state. Each time we'd visit she'd have clothes she'd ungrown for me. If I found basics (like black slacks) on sale I'd buy them a little tight and two sizes smaller.

Sorry, didn't realize this was so old.

Viactive does make Vitamins without calcium, but they are hard to find. I used to get them at Walmart. Here's a link. https://www.viactiv.com/products/index.jhtml?id=viactiv/multivitamins/multivitamin.inc

Portions are rediculous in restaurants. My DH and I have both had WLS. We share a "Senior" meal and still have food left over. If we share a regular meal we have enough to take home for both of us to eat later and still throw away part. I too remember being able to eat it all. And I wasn't as uncomfortable afterward as I am now if I eat one extra bite. When my band was unfilled prior to the sleeve surgery, I still couldn't eat an entire senior (smaller) meal in a restaurant. And I felt like a total pig eating that much after being banded for 2 1/2 years. LOL Now when I watch what people eat I'm just amazed that the stomach can hold so much. LOL My 14 year old grandson is very thin. He wrestles in winter and has started playing football this year. In the off seasons he works hard to stay in shape for wrestling. But the food that kid can put away is unreal! He's 5'9" and weights 140 lbs. I have no doubt if I ate the calories he does at my activity level (and age) I'd weigh over 300 lbs. He trys to eat enough Protein and loves fruits and vegetables, so he eats a healthy diet... it's just so much of it. LOL

This is true to a point. Although I would not recommend gastric bypass for someone who is a big snacker. While this will cause weight loss initially I've seen people who didn't change their eating habits and would eat food that would make them sick on a regular basis and they lost weight large amounts of weight...until, for whatever reason, those foods no longer made them sick and the weight came back. The band and sleeve help with portion control and hunger, not habitual or emotional eating. But I don't think "totally changing your habits" is required all the time to be successful. With my band and now sleeve, I can eat small portions ocassionally of foods that aren't necessarily healthy or low calorie. But at the end of the day, I'm still eating the amount of calories needed for weight loss. But it's important to track what you eat so you stay within your calorie goal and be conscious of meeting your Protein goals. Weight Watchers is a great plan for people who've had surgery and like to snack. You learn to make better choices. And your "tool" helps you to stay in control. Your points" (calories) are based on a week, so you can eat more calories some days than others without feeling like a failure. I like to think in terms of progress not perfection on changing habits. My sister and I were talking last night about how before we had weight loss surgery we felt like our "progress" was 1 step forward and 3 steps back. After being banded that flipped to 3 steps forward and 1 step back. LOL

Congrats to all who are on your way to good health! Regarding the skin issue, it's true that heavier weight (and older) people and especially those who carry most of their excess weight in one area need to adjust their goal weights because certain tissue (overly stretched skin, depleted fat cells, stretched out connective tissue) is not going to be lost with diet and exercise. My DH carried most of his weight in his tummy area. He lost 175 lbs (6'3"). His "tummy tuck" removed 8 lbs. A relative lost over 200 (5'3") had 5 lbs removed from her stomach and 16 from her thighs and if she were to have her arms and butt done, no doubt there would be an additional 20ish lbs. I'm sure once I lose another 20 lbs a lower body lift would remove 20 lbs. Setting a goal that doesn't account for our excess skin is not going to leave us with the muscle mass we need.

I think the hair thing is very individual. I can honestly say I've never eaten the recommended Protein on a regular basis. I had lap band surgery over 2 years ago, (lost 90 lbs in 18 months) gall bladder out over a year ago, another surgical procedure for a girly issue 4 months ago, and was sleeved July 6th ("relost" 22 lbs, to be back where I was at my lowest "band" weight). I have plenty of hair... so much that it has to be thinned. I didn't always have such thick hair, when I was in my 20's and 30's it was thin and fine, now it's thick and fine. I do get some hair loss in the weeks following surgery, but it doesn't continue. I know a couple of people who have had RnY who have hair loss, but both of them already had very thin hair and a family tendency for the women in the family to have thinner hair with age. I know another who had RnY whose hair is not thin at all, after 6 years. My DH's hair has gotten thinner since being banded 5 years ago, but he's 55 and it's probably a guy thing. My sister had very thin hair pre band, and she's thinner now. My mother's hair is no thinner after being banded 18 months ago. I don't know if my hair will get thinner with time but last week the stylist was still thinning and complaining about how long it takes to dry my short hair. LOL

Tiffy's insight is thorough and accurate. I haven't been sleeved long enough to speak long term. I'm still on soft foods. But my band experience (during the 18 months that it was properly adjusted) is very much what she describes (except I've not reached the goal experience). WLS is a tool to help with portion/hunger control, we still have to decide what those portions will be made of. Surgery has not made me prefer lean grilled chicken to fried any more than weight watchers or low carb or any other diet I followed. But I know I can lose more weight and be healthier if I make the right choice most of the time. You can lose a certain amount of weight with not so good choices, but if you want to be at goal you have to make the right choices far more often than not. Some people are happier 30 - 40 lbs from an ideal weight but eating pretty much whatever they want. They might be miserable trying to hold to a very strict eating plan. Others want to be like Tiffy and that takes much more effort. But from seeing her posts, I would guess that she and many others would be miserable weighing more. In the end, you basically decide if it's a certain weight or certain foods that make you happy (or miserable). That being said... health is a major factor in being happy I don't think we can sacrifice health for a steady diet of fudge and be happy. LOL Regarding the 3 kids and Snacks, make better choiced for them too. Now's the time to teach them healthy habits for life.

You mention areas "hanging." If that's skin and "empty fat cells" (and since you are exercising, I would have to assume it is) you aren't going to lose that no matter how much you diet and exercise. My DH had 8 lbs of excess skin taken off with his "tummy tuck" and his sister had 16 lbs removed with a procedure to her thighs. That wasn't fat... it was skin and empty fat cells. Fat cells get very large and though the fat comes out of them the cell tissue is still stretched and will even fill with Fluid given the opportunity. Most of us who have been obese will not go back to the lean tight body we may have once had no matter what. surgical interventio can help, but it doesn't put us back to where we were before we reached obesity. But all that aside. YOU have done an amazing job and your body will improve on it's current look as you continue to exercise, eat right and it settles in.

Amen on the capri's! I'm 5'3" even petites are too long sometimes. One day a young man commented that my "pants were a little to short." I said "you mean LONG, don't you?" "No SHORT!" Hey Buddy, THESE are capris!" We both laughed... but I retired my "pants." Too lazy to hem them.

No regrets, but I wish I had prepared myself better beforehand. I had hoped to keep my band, but opted for VSG if that wasn't possible. I had the mindset that the band was staying and going to work properly again. I really didn't mentally prepare myself for this surgery and all that goes along with it. It's been very different for me than post banding was. I'm glad it was all done in one surgery and I'm sure my head is going to catch up. But right now I'm just not quite there yet.

my highest was 250 at 5'3". My goal is 130 -140. I'm currently at 160. I too wish I would have had this option when I had 50 or less lbs. to lose. How much better those "fat" years would have been and how much better my SKIN would have been. LOL

Not sleeved long enough to give you a good answer, but I can tell you that my DH and I have done Atkins off and on over the years and our labs were always excellent when following the plan. According to some of the research Atkins used in his books, it's not the dietary cholesterol that gets us; it's the cholesterol our liver manufactures when we don't eat enough that's the "bad" cholesterol. I know many won't agree with this and that's fine, everyone is different. This board is for discussion. As lap-banded people (over two years) and my DH (over 5 years) we had to eat the same diet as recommended for sleeves and we've both have excellent labs. Keep in mind that although the ratio of calories from Protein and fat may be high compared to calories of carbs (because you are likely eating the lower calorie, less starchy/sugary carbs), your overall grams of protein/fat/cholesterol is likely going to be much lower that it was before you had WLS because your stomach is so much smaller.

The endoscopy can show erosion or other issues inside of the stomach. But not necessiarily its condition outside where the band is placed. It can tell him/her for sure that it will take two surgeries. But if all appears good from that study, there can still be things that aren't seen that can affect the outcome for those thinking they may have just one surgery. Surgeons have their own experience and comfort zones and hopefully our best interest at heart. I hope yours goes well and you are on the road to weight loss soon.

Can't help with your questions, but welcome to the board and hopefully someone in your area will see this and be able to respond.

I was fortunate enough to have it done in one surgery. BUT I knew going in that there was a possibility that I could come out without my band and not being sleeved. He would not be able to make the determination until during surgery. I think that's why I really wasn't excited about having my surgery before hand; I was expecting the worst (well not the VERY worst, LOL). I needed to have a hiatal hernia repair, my band was uselss with the severity of that condition. My first choice was to keep the band and repair the hernia; second choice to repair the hernia, remove the band, and VSG. But there was the very real possibility of hernia repair, band removal only. I'm still not "excited" that I've had VSG. I don't think I had prepared myself enough for this option. I feel like I'm "mourning" my lost stomach. LOL I have no one that I know personally who has had this done. I have several banded relatives and friends, there's comfort in that. I had lurked and posted here a bit before my surgery, but I just don't think I was really "committed" to this option. For those of you who are, I think you will feel much more optimistic. I'm sure in time as I see results and am beyond the healing portion I will be much happier about the outcome.

My DH has lot 170 lbs. and still uses his CPAP. He's about 5 years out with lapband. He currently weighs around 230, 6'3". My understanding is that his undiagnosed sleep apnea probably contributed to his weight gain. Of course the weight gain would have made it worse.

Let me rephrase that last sentence. It's not an essential need to eat a large amount of carbs, when I say "large amount" I'm talking about hundreds, not 50 - 100. LOL

Have to agree, each person has to figure out what works for them weight loss and Healthwise (not one or the other but both). Just one little thing though.... some people absolutely require large amounts of carbs... world class athletes or those attempting to be such require more energy (carbs) than the rest of us. Well, also people who have very physical labor intense jobs where they actually work up a sweat more hours than not. But for the average office worker getting exercise around our jobs and responsibilities, it's probably not an essential need. LOL

I agree, moderation is the key. But most of us wouldn't have weight issues if we got that. LOL I don't think Atkins Induction phase will hurt anyone doing it as the book recommends TWO weeks. And nothing in it said your entire meal had to be nuttin' but fat. But the fact that you can have it and still lose weight is pretty amazing to most people starting the diet. I found the longer I was on it the more veggies and berries I ate and the protein and fat automatically reduced. The thing is, most overweight people probably eat MORE fat and cholesterol before doing Atkins than during (I know I did). For one thing, a lot of the fatty foods we consume are ON carbs. French Fries, butter on bread, bagals and philly, sour cream on baked potatoes, etc. We generally don't eat deep fried chicken that isn't coated with carbs. During the ongoing weight loss (OWL) phase of Atkins and the maintenance phase the (low glycemic) carbs are increased to your own level based on what your are trying to accomplish. Most people have never read that part of his book. LOL I think Atkins went way overboard to prove his point that fat and protein aren't the enemy with regard to obesity. But the fact is his diet does work. My DH and I followed it closely for 2 years at one point and we both had excellent labs and neither of us has ever had a kidney stone. Which is more than I can say for many of my nay sayer friends who wouldn't be caught dead low carbing. The problem with it, like nearly all diets, is that there simply isn't any wiggle room. Screw up one meal and you've gained 5 lbs. And our society is built around sugar laden foods so it can be very isolating to try to stay strict to the plan.

The "surprise" for me in this was that I didn't go through this when I was banded. I was excited and everyday was better than the day before, physically and emotionally. Well, until my hiatal hernia began causing issues about a year ago. That issue only arose in the wee hours in for form of severe reflux. During the day I was just fine. Even gaining weight when my band had to be unfilled didn't cause me to feel the "blahs" I've been experiencing since this surgery. As much as I wish no one else was having this issue, it's comforting to know I'm not alone and of course, I have no doubt it will get better with time.

Thank you for posting Donna! I too have been feeling a bit down since my surgery. I can't say I'm totally negative or highly depressed. It's just that I'm normally a smiling, laughing, happy, person. And lately I've just been neutral. I don't feel like laughing (or crying). I'm sure it will pass. I had another surgical procedure (unrelated to weight loss) in April and I think the combination was a bit more than my bode can handle at once. Yesterday on another post I mentioned that food doesn't taste good and that I really don't care if I eat or not, I don't get any satisfaction/enjoyment from it. But your post made me stop and realize that it's not just about food. Nothing is particularly appealing to me to do. I've lost 22 lbs since my surgery. But nothing in the last week. My head knows that's okay, but still I'm discouraged. YET prior to my surgery I wanted to maintain the exact weight I'm at right now. Go figure.

I found low carbing very easy with my band for those very reasons. I could eat some whole grain breads. Have you tried those very thin buns (whole grain), (Arnold and Pepperidge Farms both make them)? If I chewed them very well I could eat them. I've actually carried them with me to school sports events where the only options were sandwiches and transferred the filling into my own 1/2 bun. LOL Now that I'm "sleeved" don't know if that will be an issue or not. I hope it is because that's a great tool to keep me from stuff I don't need anyway. I'm just starting soft foods this week and am being very careful about choices.