WL WARRIOR

Yep, its hormonal. In fact, excessive cleansing can even make it worse. When I first started breaking out at two months post op, I started doing alpha hydroxy peels, mud masks, drying agents, you name it. It was a big waste of money. If anything, it just irritated the breakouts and made them worse. I am so glad I went to a dermatologist. It seemed to take me forever to get in. The dermatologist put me on Spirolactone (not sure if I spelled it right) and have not had one single blackhead or pimple in six months. If you take control of this now, then you won't have to deal with the after effects of breakouts (scarring, redness, discoloration).

VSGAnn2014, You would be an awesome patient lecturer. In fact, why don't you go on tour and come to my area? Our bariatric support group meetings are led by a nurse that doesn't believe in stalls. Actually, the bariatric team (nutritionist, nurses, bariatrician) at my clinic are made up of people that have not had surgery and are naturally thin. It's hard for them to be empathetic when they never experienced the struggle themselves.

I see this as a strategy for success, rather than a rut. Research has backed the claim that eating the same foods for 1-2 meals helps automate the process of eating after surgery. I posted this research in a separate post titled, "Pick and Stick" as this is the title of the strategy Dr. Oz has given it.

I never had a chance to speak to my surgeon, but that doesn't mean you can't seek out other medical professionals to help you. Even though I thought I was quite informed with the ins and outs of bariatric surgery, I was Enlightened by watching Dr. Weiner's videos on YouTube this weekend. There are two videos about how to be successful with weight loss many years after surgery and I suggest you check them out. I posted a question to Dr. Weiner as a comment on one of his video YouTube pages. He responded in 10 hours. This surprised me because I wasn't even counting on getting a response. My own surgeon has a page at my bariatric clinics website, but it does not list contact information. My clinic said that you don't need to ever contact your surgeon after surgery because that is what your bariatrician is for.

Why not use a Protein shake as a meal replacement drink? Why not use the same Protein Drink you used during your first months pre op when you were losing lots of weight?

I am curious if I am becoming anemic or just tired from a lack of sleep. I've been anemic before surgery despite taking my Iron pills. I'm trying to increase my intalke of iron rich foods. I don't mind eating green leafy vegetables, but I'm not a fan of eating four legged animals. Is it really vital for me to eat red meat in order to increase my iron levels? I was going to try and eat Angus beef yesterday until I flipped the box around and read the nutrition label. One patty has 13 grams of saturated fat and 2 grams of trans fat. Yikes! What foods do you eat in order to increase your iron levels?

The best thing about my increased capacity at 9 months post op is that I can eat more of the NOURISHING foods I like. Dr. Weiner made a great point in the video when he said that no one gains weight by eating a large quantity of spinach. I would like to get a list of the foods that the more of them you eat, the thinner you become. I'm assuming that the list includes most green vegetables. Also, the video helped me realize that I need to change my exercise routine. There was another thread that pointed out that weight loss is 80% of what you eat and 20% exercise. While I totally agree with that statistic, it never occurred to me that it does not apply to those who want to maintain their weight loss. Dr. Weiner pointed out that once in the maintenance phase, exercise is just as important as eating nourishing foods. I started reducing my daily hour walk to 30 minutes since I hit goal. Now I realize that what I'm doing won't be effective during maintenance. I've learned to love eating green vegetables by spicing them up. Right now, I'm in love with the calorie free, sugar free, and fat free Walden dressings. There is such a huge craze right now with juicing your green vegetables. I would like to know if anyone does this and what effect it has had on your post op diet.

I stayed away from sugar during the first 6 months post op. Now at nine months, I do suck on hard candy about every other day. It's usually a tootsie roll pop or a few pieces of hard candy. It's important to note here that I didn't start doing this until I hit goal. While in my weight loss phase, I was even too paranoid to suck on sugar free candy. If I find myself craving more than a few pieces, then I will abstain for a few days. My latest sugar crave is marshmallows. I like to roast them over my oven and eat a few. If I have a whole bag of marshmallows in my cabinet, then I will do this almost every night. So, I've tried very hard not to buy a bag. In fact, while grocery shopping yesterday, I put them in my cart and back on the shelf THREE TIMES. If that's not an addiction, then I don't know what is. I've told myself that I'll stop sugar completely if I gain any weight. Thank goodness that hasn't happened yet.

ProudGrammy, Thanks so much! It feels great to have all of the extra weight off. At this time last year, I couldn't even sit comfortably because I was so obese. Sometimes, I have to think back to all those things that were so difficult to do last year so that I can stay grateful for what the surgery has done for me. I love the lime flavor Light and Fit Greek yogurt. In fact, I have five of the small containers in my fridge now.

I never considered adding Protein powder to the Fage Greek Yogurt. That would be delicious with some good tasting Protein Powder. I'm going to order the Syntrax Matrix Peanut Butter Cookie flavor. If I mixed it with the Fage Greek Yogurt it would be like a dessert with tons of protein. My only issue with yogurt is that I have to be cautious about eating it too frequently. It can be a slider, so I have to eat it slowly and sparingly. It's so easy for me to eat a lot at one time if I'm not paying attention. That is why I dislike that it only stays good for about a week after you open it.

It irritates the hell out of me when my co-workers talk endlessly about their current diet and fitness routine. What really bugged me was when they would confide in me (someone that was morbidly obese at the time) about feeling fat, when in fact they are not at all. What are you suppose to say? "Sure, you are fat! Let's just be fat buddies together!" or "Why don't you stand next to me so you can feel skinny!" If you are having trouble with your weight, it would make sense to seek advice from someone who is a weight loss success. I put much effort into not discussing diet and exercise with anyone except my doctor, nutritionist, and on this forum. If someone seeks advice from me, then that is different. However, I will not turn into one of those people that constantly talk about it. It's so narrow minded and annoying.

The best yogurt I have found is FAGE 0%. I don't have a container of it right now, but I think one cup contains 23 grams of Protein, 12 carbs, and 120 calories. Please correct me if I am wrong. The downside to this stuff is that it is quite expensive and only stays good for a week after you open it.

After swimming all day early this week, I stopped at Sonic to get something to drink. Although a Diet Coke slush (Slurpee) sounds like a good choice, it is not. It may not have carbonation, but it is loaded with sugar. The ice they use in their slushes is loaded with sugar. So, even though the diet coke is sugar free, making it into a slush at Sonic is not. I decided to order a medium sized Diet Limeade. I've never had one before, but I figured it would be a sugar free, lime flavored drink. The first sip was awesomely delicious. But then I realized that it was carbonated with something like Diet Sprite, 7up, or Sierra Mist. No wonder it tasted so good. I decided to drink it very slowly and experienced no negative effects. Before the limeade, it had been 10 months before I had a soda. I don't know if I will have one anytime soon, but I think it would be smart of me to make soda drinking a very rare event. There are many surgeons that advise against effervescent drinks. However, there were a few times I drank Alka-Seltzer because it was the only thing I had on hand. Before drinking it, I let it sit 30 minutes and stirred every 5 minutes to help the bubbles dissipate. Most of my Fluid intake comes from Powerade Zero. I don't think I could come close to the recommended fluid intake without it.

First and foremost, I liked your story. It's wonderful that your weight loss has brought you self esteem and courage. Do you know that you can put a space in your name? Are you into linguistics? I guess a sly linguist would put the two words together. Sort of a play on words, I guess? I wouldn't use that name on a dating web site or anywhere, for that matter. That name just gives a bad first impression. You don't need to use a name like that to grab our attention on this site. Your post was interesting enough.

Just to clarify the man eating the hot dog in the pool.................. The day we decided to go to the pool was the same day Missouri Care (Medicaid for kids) hosted a free swim and snack day for the entire community. We didn't know about this and came an hour before it started, which kind of sucks because we could have saved $9.50. After an hour of swimming, the pool became terribly crowded and I realized that not going to a public pool for ten years wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Most people were taking advantage of the free food and many were eating at the side of the pool, which isn't suppose to be allowed. I'm thinking that the lifeguards had trouble enforcing the rules with such a large crowd. The guy that was eating the hot dog did not eat it while swimming UNDER Water. He was swimming at the deep end and swam to the edge to reach out and grab a hot dog from his daughter. He wolfed down the hot dog while still in the water at the edge and took the last bite before swimming back to the center. We left the pool when the two kids swimming near me were discussing not wanting to get out of the pool to go pee. I heard one of them whisper, "Why not, no one will ever know." They were silent and still for a few seconds and we were out of there. We went out and bought a pool yesterday. It's not as big as the city pool, but at least I can put all my attention where it should have been in the first place--my child.

My bariatric doctor told me during my initial consultation that 90% of his patients lose 95 pounds during the first year with gastric bypass. He had never had a sleeve or lap band patient, so that was the only statistic he had on his past patients. To me, 95 pounds in one year would have been amazing. When I switched to VSG, it seemed like 95 pounds in one year would be almost impossible to reach. I was more than ecstatic when I lost 95 pounds five months after surgery. When I lost 140 pounds at 7 months post op, I hit goal. I would love to keep this weight off forever and I know it might be quite a struggle to do so. I've read that most post op patients gain about 10%-20% of their weight back after two years. That would be about a 15 pound gain for me, so I'm trying to decide if I should lose 15 more pounds now.

InnerSurferGirl, Thanks for your comment. As for insomnia drugs, I've been on a few that feel like I am trading one evil for another. Maybe I just haven't found the right medication, but even taking Benadryl every night started to have negative impacts on my health. The two meds that really worked, Trazadone and Seraquil, both had terrible side effects. Both made me gain weight and have carbohydrate cravings. Although they both helped me sleep through the night, I always felt terribly groggy the next morning. I decided to quit many of my meds before surgery and Seraquil and Trazadone were probably the hardest. If you wouldn't mind, could you let me know the name of the drug so that I could research it? I just watched a documentary that said marijuana was safer than most insomnia drugs. That doesn't mean I'm gonna try smoking a joint before hitting the hay; I just need to be more careful when choosing safe medications. CowgirlJane, My PCP did mention last week that my body may be missing certain vitamins/nutrients that may be the cause of my night eating. It's weird, but it doesn't feel like a craving when I eat at night. It almost feels like that I'm on auto pilot while still quite aware of what I am doing. Even though I take my bariatric Vitamin everyday, there my be some Vitamins that are not fully metabolized or used by my body. For example, in the past I've been anemic while taking Iron supplements. My doctor did mention taking my vitamins later in the day to see if it will help. I am going to take your suggestion to try drinking a Protein drink when I'm up at night. The reason I haven't done so yet is because I don't want to wake up again at night to go pee.

Sorry for the late response on this. It turned out the milk was not bad. It had more to do with extreme stress, eating too fast, and an empty stomach. It's interesting to note that I haven't slimed since this episode three month ago. I can tolerate more foods at nine months out and can eat more at one sitting. That is really not a good thing, actually. I've just had to make sure all my food choices are smart in case I eat a larger than normal quantity.

It seems like you have mildly slipped into old habits as a reaction to stress. It was stress and PTSD that contributed to my morbid obesity in the first place. Since surgery, I have strengthened my awareness and learned coping strategies through support groups like OA and my cognitive behavioral therapy group. I use to see a therapist, but find the group settings to be more effective. Getting back to basics will help you physically, but you need to have a set of proactive tools or strategies that will help you mentally. You can do it!

Many people on here vary when it comes to the amount of daily carbs. I do know that some of us, me included, are more sensitive to carbs. For the first six months post op, I had a very low caloric intake and less than 15 grams of carbs daily. My hypothyroidism condition made it harder to lose weight and I knew I had to do something drastic in order to be successful. My carb count included all carbs, which was a little irritating because I couldn't even take Metamucil for constipation. Since I hit goal, I eat more good carbs everyday, like fruit. I've decided to not eat anything at the bottom of the food triangle (bread, rice, grains, pasta). That is what works for me. You just have to figure out what works for you. It seems like part of this process is trial and error at times.

I've reached my goal six weeks ago and have been maintaining fairly well. I did get 5 pounds under goal, so I've been working at increasing my calories. I have a Protein shake every morning for Breakfast. My other 2 meals consist mainly of fish (tuna, salmon, tilapia), fresh vegetables (tomatoes, cucumber, spinach),and occasionally fruit (strawberries, mango, peaches). I have completely cut out starch and carbohydrate rich food out of my diet completely. I haven't had any bread, rice, potatoes, Cereal, crackers, or Pasta since last September. It's not something I really miss or crave all that much. My exercise has been hiking or walking for an hour or more each day. There are a few small treats I eat once a week. Its usually a sucker or toasted marshmallows. Do you allow yourself any small treats every now or then?

I was in a similar situation. I'm not going to repeat all the great advice others have already given. But I do want to make sure you don't repeat my mistake. Make sure that the person who goes in (or drops you off and picks you up) to the hospital with you on surgery day supports you or is nice enough to keep their mouth shut. I wish I had done my surgery alone without a soul knowing about it. That would have been so fantastically freeing. At the last minute, I asked my mom (non-supportive) to drop me off at the hospital and pick me up. The hour long drive to the hospital was filled with questions and comments from my mom about how I ruined my adult life by being so heavy and that surgery was just going to be another failed attempt at improving myself. I was an emotional wreck once I got to the hospital. On the way back home, she said that I was such a weakling because of the painkillers I picked up from the hospital pharmacy. That whole dark and stormy ride home was me trying to fight the lumps in my throat because I was fighting back tears. Looking back now, it angers me how I let it get me so down. From that point on, I decided to put up boundaries. When she dropped me off at my home that same night, I asked her not to come to my house to check on me or visit. I also asked for her to never ask how much I weigh or how much weight I have lost. That was last October and she has not been to my house since. We do talk on the phone, but she has never questioned my weight. Well, she has said that I am too thin, but I just choose to ignore it and change the topic. I may invite her over for dinner this summer because I've gotten better at ignoring her negativity and nagging. There is enough encouragement on the forums here and in support groups to help make up for the lack of support you feel from others. I wish you luck!

My Breakfast for the past week has been a Protein drink that I don't care for one bit. I'm trying to not spend so much on protein powders, but the trade off is tolerating less than average tasting Protein powder. I have not tried Syntrax yet and have been shopping around online for a good price. Those that use Syntrax often, I have a few questions if you don't mind: 1. What is the difference between Syntrax nectar and Syntrax Matrix? I'm assuming its the type of protein. I really want to try the Peanut Butter cookie flavor, but it is only available as a Matrix version. 2. Where do you purchase your Syntrax protein powder? I usually purchase protein powder at www.puritan.com, but they don't carry Syntrax. Supplement Warehouse has the 2 pound jug of Syntrax Nectar for $31.66 and the 2 pound jug of Matrix for $24.89. Of course those prices don't include shipping. Thanks!

Never, even though I had quite a few medications the first few months.

I’ve been reading quite a few discouraging and sad stories of failed weight loss from post op patients on this site lately. Heck, I may have not even chose surgery after reading some of these personal accounts of gaining all the weight back or not losing weight despite exercise and 700 calories a day. In a reaction to this, I’ve decided to share something all natural I’ve been doing that has helped me get to goal and maintain it. You may take this with a grain of salt because I’m only 9 months post op and not a medical professional. Actually, I would speak to one first before you give something like this a try. My fondness of apple cider vinegar began in college 17 years ago after reading a newspaper article boasting the benefits of vinegar consumption on weight loss and health. I wasn’t obese at the time, but I did want to lose 10 pounds before swimsuit season. The article recommended 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of Water before each meal and/or between meals. What does Apple Cider Vinegar do for weight loss? Many believe that the nutrients, enzymes, and organic acids in apple cider vinegar cause weight reduction by acting as an appetite suppressant, by increasing your body's metabolic rate, by reducing water retention, and by helping you maintain a feeling of well being. There is much research backing these claims, especially the claim that drinking apple cider vinegar with a meal reduces the amount of insulin required to process a meal resulting in weight loss. Fast forward to 6 months post op, which is when I begin to feel an increased capacity/appetite, and my desire to add the Apple Cider Vinegar to my diet once again seems logical. Not wanting to damage my sleeve, I got my doctors consent before trying it again. This time, I decided not to drink it straight or mix it with water. I just simply added it to my vegetables 2-3 times a day or a glass of V8 juice. My daily consumption equals ¼-1/2 cup. Since adding the Apple Cider Vinegar three months ago, I have steadily lost 3-5 pounds a week without any stalls. I will continue using the ACV to maintain weight and feel good. There is a lot of information on the web about Apple Cider Vinegar benefits and usage. It is important to get apple cider vinegar that is made from the double fermentation of whole apples and it should not be distilled, filtered or pasteurized. These extra processing steps destroy many of the Vitamins, nutrients and fermentation products that are thought to be important elements in apple cider vinegar's health benefits and weight loss properties. This is NOT something that is going to dramatically help you lose weight. It is just one strategy I use in addition to strictly following the bariatric guidelines. My decision to post this was to help those that feel like they have tried absolutely everything.