Inner Surfer Girl

I seriously doubt it, but definitely talk to your surgeon. Why would you want to? In my opinion, you need to be as healthy as possible going into surgery.

I would say no. I eat mine with a fork or spoon.

There is always hope. I would suggest you make an appointment with your NUT to talk about your challenges and goals. You still have your sleeve.

I am not. I haven't found anything that I need that the regular version doesn't provide.

I second the recommendation of the heating pad and moving around.

I am surprised you aren't allowed yogurt. Greek yogurt is one of my staples and has been since I started full liquids.

I always ate too fast pre-op. The biggest benefit to chewing I have noticed is that I can actually taste my food. Instead of rushing to the next big bite, if I slow down and chew thoroughly I get a bigger flavor bang for my buck. There also has to be some connection to the brain to help me feel more satisfied with a smaller amount of food. Rather than wolfing down my food, I can enjoy it longer.

Almost everyone experiences a stall about three weeks after surgery. You aren't necessarily doing anything wrong except maybe expecting to lose at a constant rate. @@Babbs has a great explanation of the mechanics of the third week stall.

I hated tracking my food. Most of it going back to the trauma of starting Weight Watchers as an adolescent and having to keep my food tracker on the refrigerator. Now, I couldn't do this without my MyFitnessPal app. I can tell at a glance how I am doing in getting in all of my Protein. As I get older my short term memory isn't what it used to be and days tend to run together, so recording my food is a must for me. I don't agonize over it. I mostly only really pay attention to the protein. The rest of the information on macros, calories, etc. is just nice to know.

I don't specifically limit good fats. I do avoid fried foods.

This was a HUGE reason I kept my surgery to myself. I am a mom to two great teenagers. I have been happily married for 21 years. I have a fabulous goldendoodle. I am a 2nd degree black belt and a certified martial arts instructor. I volunteer at a womens' shelter. I play the guitar. I own a successful business. I work with autistic children and kids with Down's syndrome. I love Old School Rap and can perform Rapper's Delight in it's entirety. SOBER. I love talking to strangers. I am the VP of my HOA. I am PTA president, Choral Booster's VP and head theater mom at my kids' schools. I love dogs, hate cats, save turtles and run screaming from spiders. I was a beach lifeguard, a sorority girl and an only child. (Explains a lot, huh?) I Zumba, deep Water fin and ski double blacks. I drive like a ****** bag even though my vehicle is a minivan because I am always in a hurry. (At least I own it.) I hold the door for people and I can recite pi to the 56th digit. I used to teach emotionally disturbed kids until the parents drove me nuts. I was a theater major before I was a psychology major, before I got my degree in communications/psychology and my master's in education. I am a brown Mexican but don't speak Spanish. I am a great cook but a horrible baker. I love to read and I love reality TV. I drive with the radio off because I enjoy the silence. I could go on forever but I am boring myself. I have a lot more interesting things to talk about over WLS. Why on earth would I make that the definition of me? People can't help but ask about it, I have no desire to be the inspiration of that discussion. It was bad enough that people had to "confess" every extra calorie or missed workout to me while I was losing out of a bizarre "guilt". I'd rather be any of the above over the former fatty/WLS lady. You hate cats?!

I was sleeved April 20, 2015 and couldn't be happier with my choice. I have lost a lot and I have a lot to lose. Unless you have something that specifically precludes the sleeve, then personally I think it is a great choice. Your digestive system remains intact and you don't lose the functionality of your stomach and it is a shorter, less risky surgery. I think when you were relieved that it came up tails that you should pay attention. Best of luck with whatever you decide.

It might be blood sugar, blood pressure, dehydration, or it could be vertigo. I had vertigo pre-op and it SUCKED.

Thank you for your very nice, and concerned response! I have been seeing a therapist, but not for the weight gain. I was seeing one for the OCD and anxiety, and they prescribed me with Lexapro. Ever sense I started taking it, I hardly ever have anxiety or panic attacks. It really has helped. But I heard it makes people eat - go figure, lol. The Lexapro has given me my spirited, outgoing self back. But I still have low self-esteem issues with my appearance. I know I'm attractive, but my weight is making me feel like I'm not myself. I am not at all in the process, besides making the decision to do it. If the Bypass were the only surgery available, I probably wouldn't have weight loss surgery at all. I heard the Sleeve is a bit safer. At this point, I'm going to have severe health issues in the future if I don't get the weight off. I have found a surgeon. His ratings are 4.8 stars out of 5, which is great! I called and left a voicemail at his office, but no one has returned my call. So, I think I'm going to give them a call in a few minutes. I am not being treated for sleep apnea. I haven't had a diagnosis yet, but I am almost certain that's what I have. The only thing is, I've heard you don't remember your dreams when you have sleep apnea; but I almost always remember mine, and have them frequently. WOW!! 200 pounds in a year?! Congratulations! That is so nice to hear. I am so happy for you. That is like 16 pounds per month! Have you had to continuously replace your clothes? Lol! As much as that would probably cost a lot of money to replace that many wardrobes, I'm actually looking forward to it. I still have a ton of clothes saved from high school that I hope to be able to wear again, since I haven't grown a single inch since I was 15. A few things that I am wondering about are my gastritis and PCOS. I found out I have gastritis, which is when the lining of the stomach is inflamed. I'm wondering if this will be a problem. I know you're not a doctor. I'm just hoping the surgery will maybe even improve my stomach problems. I also have PCOS which can cause women to gain weight. Do you have that? I don't have PCOS but your surgeon should take everything into account when recommending a procedure. I have never heard that people with sleep apnea can't remember their dreams. I never noticed that. Other than WLS, being treated for sleep apnea has been the best thing I have done for my health. Getting good, restful sleep is critical. Your surgeon and/or insurance will most likely require a sleep study and treatment. I don't spend a lot of money on clothes. I am not working so I am still wearing old clothes (I have a lot of basic dresses). I do make sure I have a bathing suit that fits: I started with a size 32 and my current suit is a tankini with a top size 20 and a bottom sized 24. I have buy a couple of new skirts and tops periodically so I have something to wear in public. Not long after surgery I bought underwear in three sizes so I always have underwear that fits. I just bought a packet of the next size down. I bought a couple of new bras a while back. I am due to get a new bra. I know a lot of people buy clothes at thrift and consignment shops while they are transitioning. One other thing, I recommend you make sure you use a surgeon who is at a Bariatric Center of Excellence.

Why not file FMLA. It is for your protection. If you have complications or other health issues it is designed to protect your job. That is not something I would want to risk.

I am so sorry to hear you are experiencing difficulties. Have you talked to a physician about this? Your surgeon? A gastrointestinal specialist?

Congratulations on your weight loss. Have you talked to your NUT about your challenges and goals? What does he or she advise? Are you tracking your food? What is your protein target? Are you eating protein first and reaching your protein target every day? Are you drinking at least 64 oz of Fluid a day? Are you taking your Vitamins and supplements as directed? Are you avoiding starches, added sugars (especially high fructose corn syrup), and fried food? Are you practicing mindful eating? Eating slowly, taking small bites, and chewing thoroughly? Are you exercising?

Wow, you have really been through the ringer during your short life. Welcome! Congratulations on being willing to explore your options for getting healthy. You mention shame, anxiety, etc. Are you currently seeing a therapist? If not, I would suggest that you see if you can find a good therapist to help you through this process. Your surgeon/insurance will most likely require a psych eval. Whoever does your evaluation may be able to refer you to someone. Your surgeon's office may also have some suggestions for referral. How far along are you in the process? Have you found a surgeon? Started a pre-op program? I was sleeved April 20, 2015 and have lost over 200 pounds. I still have a ways to go but I couldn't be happier with my surgery, my recovery, and my progress so far. Keep us posted on how you are doing. Are you being treated for your sleep apnea? That is another thing that will help you to be successful.

Make an appointment with your PCP and look for a Bariatric Center of Excellence and schedule a seminar. Your PCP may also be able to recommend a surgeon. I was fortunate in that I started with my PCP and he referred me to an outstanding surgeon.

Personally, I think I am better off just following my program and using my highly experienced medical team as a resource. My NUT, PA, surgeon, and even my PCP and personal trainer have given me plenty of information/advice for being healthy. I don't need to spend even more money on supplements.

https://le-vel.com/experience Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App So, are they selling supplements?

Oh my gosh! You're doing amazing! What kind of exercise do you do? And how did you feel right after the surgery? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I257 using the BariatricPal App Thank you. I feel great and am regaining my mobility. My exercise of choice is swimming. I started with deep Water aerobics and weights and now I do a mix of swimming laps, deep water aerobics, and water weights: almost all of my exercise is in the pool. I had a great experience with my surgery, recovery, and progress. It was my first surgery ever so the worst part of the whole process was some delays due to financing issues and the pre-op uncertainty. Post-op, I had a sore shoulder from gas and a little bit of constipation. The hardest thing was drinking water. It has already changed my life and it is only going to get better.

Just curious, but do you know why you have had so little success? Do you follow your program? Your sleeve is still there. If you aren't following your program with your sleeve, how will the bypass be different?

I am in Danville. I have been trying to get to more support group meetings. I get to the ones at Cental Baptist in Lexington more easily. I still haven't made it to one at Georgetown where I had my surgery but keep trying.