glitter eyes

Hiking, cycling, kayaking and backpacking!!! It’s amazing to be able to do physical activity and enjoy it.

What really helped stop my hair loss and helped it regrow was I started taking powdered fish collagen every day in my water. I also drank bamboo tea at least once a day and sometimes several times. Bamboo tea is rich in silica which helps the hair skin and nails. I tried biotin and it did not help me, but I have read on here that others found it helpful.

One of my close friends had it done. She said it was a waste of money. Never saw any results. But that’s not saying it wouldn’t work for someone else.

Hi. I am four and half years post op. I stuck to my program religiously until I lost the majority of my weight. However maintenance has been a different story. I do “cheat” at times; as a matter of fact I just ate some pancakes with real syrup for breakfast. However, I usually weigh once a week and if the scale creeps up near the five pound gain I get back on my plan until it’s gone. When I am on vacations or during Christmas holidays I also give my self permission to eat what I want. This far out post op maintenance can be a challenge!! That said, I will got the gym hard today and cut way back tomorrow to make up for my pancakes today! LOL. I do admire the people who can stick to their plan perfectly especially the further out they get.

Here is what worked for me. I started drinking a serving of powdered marine collagen in a bottle of water every day. I used a brand called Vida Glow. That stopped about half of the amount I was losing. I then started drinking a cup or two of bamboo tea everyday. Bamboo is high in silica which is great for skin hair and nails. This slowed the loss down even more. My hair lost its brittleness and dry full look. My hair became soft and shiny again.

Here is what finally worked for my hair loss... I drank one or two cups of bamboo tea every day ( ordered from Amazon) that helped a lot. Bamboo is high in silica which helps hair skin and nails. I also drank a serving of marine collagen in my water every day. I used a brand called Vida Glow. It was on the expensive side, but it only took about two months. My hair is now back to its original state.

I am three years post op. I didn't eat any bread until I was at my goal weight and even then only eat it in small amounts.

I can understand your surgeons advice- my surgeon would prefer us to get our calories from food do and not do as much protein shakes. With that being said I am an RN too and protein shakes work for me and I continue to drink them at over three years out. I usually drink one on my drive into work and drink another on my drive home. That way even if I get busy I have a nice amount of protein in my system. For my meals I pack a variety of stuff, but like you said some shifts we don't have time to sit and eat a leisurely meal- that's why I always have a protein shake with me at work. Good luck

I wear cami's/tank tops by Maidenform Self Expressions. They have a decent amount of compression/support and help hold in my jiggly loose skin and smooths out any of my skin rolls. I have been wearing them since about six months post op. It's nice because they don't interfere with going to bathroom. Also they look decent underneath shirts. I have them in several shades. I order them from Amazon. I find they run true to size. I wear medium tops and order the medium size and it fits nice.

You have a great list going!! Honestly the baby cutlery and small bowls and plates were an amazing help to me. Also, I loved sipping from a medicine cup those first probably two weeks. It helped me a lot to take those tiny sips. Only thing I might add to your list is a good food scale. I got a digital one and still use it occasionally at three years post op.

I have never taken collagen pills, but I have taken marine collagen powder that I add to my water. It has been an amazing help to my hair and stopped the hair loss I was having from the surgery. However, I never saw any change in my skin. I think with the skin it varies from person to person and depends a lot on age, genetics, starting weight, and other factors. I have been very diligent about my vitamin levels, protein, fluid intake. I use good quality lotions and oils on my skin. I dry brush before showering everyday. For me nothing has made a difference in my saggy skin. I think for me it's because of my age and the fact that I have lost weight in the past (my skin went completely back to normal then, I was in my early 30's) then I gained my weight back. So my skin had already been stretched and then re stretched again. However, I say try everything you never know what might work for you!!! Some people never have saggy skin.

Have a question. I had a severe stomach virus with lots of vomiting. Was admitted to hospital for dehydration, pain in my stomach and unable to keep anything down. Had a CT scan that showed colitis and my Bariatric surgeon said that from the severe vomiting for so long my sleeve has slipped above my diaphragm into my hiatal hernia. I am scheduled for a swallow series this morning to make sure fluids can still pass through my sleeve. Fingers crossed. Was wondering if anyone else had their sleeve "slip" and what approach did you and your surgeon take to correct it?? I am a few weeks shy of three years post op. Have never had any complications up to now. Thanks everyone!!!

Are you allowed broth and/or sugar free Popsicles? Those things can really help. The broth is warm and more savory than shakes and the sugar free Popsicles feel more like a treat and can give you a crunch if you chew them. Hang in there.

My mom was self pay and did not have to any of the requirements that insurance usually makes you do.'we had the same surgeon and I used my insurance and had to jump through hoops for six months. She was self pay and just meet with surgeon and picked what day she wanted to get her surgery done. She did opt to go to a nutritional consult and had a one week liquid diet. She paid $17,000.

I did not have a hernia or reflux before my sleeve. It developed at about 2 years. However, my reflux is controlled by daily protonix. My surgeon said that he usually converts to a gastric bypass if the acid and the hernia is bad enough. However, he said as long as I can keep food down and don't have anymore problems we will just keep an eye on it. He doesn't want to do a gastric bypass on me because he said he is worried I will lose weight and I was already at a normal BMI and then lost about 10 lbs with this stomach virus and colitis that I got from it. He want me to regain the 10 lbs I lost. He said if I have any problems he would prefer to fix the hernia. I think now that the stomach virus is under control and I am getting antibiotics to treat the infection I should be on the mend!! Fingers crossed. Kinda looking forward to the fun of gaining my 10lbs back!! Haha Late complications worry me too. Especially when we all take such good care of ourselves.

The barium swallow came back ok- fluids able to pass through the sleeve even though it's in the hiatal hernia. I am cleared to try and eat. [emoji3]

Here is what worked for me. I ordered a marine collagen powder that I added to my water everyday. I also started drinking bamboo tea which is really high in silica. Silica is great for skin, hair and nails. I would drink at least one cup a day sometimes two. This combination cut my hair loss by at least 3/4 and it became shiny and soft again.

I had hair loss and my hair got pretty thin, dry, brittle and had a lot of breakage. This happened even though I got plenty of protein, took vitamins, lab work was normal and I took biotin. I tried tons of different shampoos, oils, and essential oils. What finally worked for me was I started taking powdered marine collagen mixed in my water every day and I drank a cup of bamboo tea once or twice a day (bamboo tea is high in silica and is good for skin hair and nails). This combinations stopped the hair loss and my hair over a course of about two months got shinier and the breakage stopped. I am almost three years post op and my hair is back to normal. I occasionally drink bamboo tea just to help it out plus I like the taste.

My favorite brand is Inspire protein powder. I mixes easily and doesn't have that protein after taste. They have lots of flavors. Calories are vary but average is 110, carbs 1-5 grams and 20 grams of protein.

I have had chronic dry mouth since surgery almost three years ago. I keep a bottle of water by my bed and when my dry mouth wakes me up its right there so I can take a few sips. Also keep a tube of biotene moisturizing mouth spray by my bed and I use that sometimes and it helps. I don't use a CPAP so I don't know why I have such dry mouth.

It does get easier with each day. Keep your eyes on the prize. Usually by day three it becomes so much easier, especially when all the carb cravings are gone. You can do it!!

It's not to late to get back on track!! You can do it. I am almost three years post op and I have times I might put back on 5 pounds. My strategy is just nip it in the bud early. What works for me is to do a liquid diet of protein shakes for a day or two and then almost zero carbs until my regain is gone. It Usually comes off pretty quickly. You can do it!!

I am almost three years out and it can be challenging at times to maintain my weight. I gained about 10 pounds at Christmas- ate way too many sugar Cookies and cakes[emoji30]. I was struggling to get it off and a friend who also had Bariatric surgery told me about a website called Bariatric Eating. They have a face book page that you can join called no Bariatric regain. They sell Protein powders called Inspire. Their website talks about how to get back on track. It's four to five shakes a day and one protein meal. I ordered their shakes and love love them!! I started doing the shakes all day and a protein dinner and the weight started coming off. It was easy to stick too once I got in the habit and kicked the carb cravings. I lost my ten pounds and another 10. I am 10 below my lowest weight. You could check it out and see if it is something that might work for you. The Facebook page is private, but you can go to their website and get added. It is very supportive and there are so many people who have regained and are losing their regained weight. It's a very positive uplifting Facebook page. Good luck to you- you can do it!!

I am almost three years post op and still occasionally drink protein shakes. I have tried so many brands and flavors. My all time favorite is called Inspire. They are extremely low carb and the flavors are tasty yet mild. They come in a powder, but are so easy to use I mix. Yon have even mix them in a shaker bottle with ease and no clumps.

I took nausea medication for about two solid weeks after my surgery. I also had horrible pain in my chest after drinking the first few weeks. I had to take very tiny sips, slowly and experiment with different types of fluids. Plain water made the pain worse. It does get better after your stomach is healed. Good luck