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@@Lewiswife This will improve as time goes on. You are only a few weeks post op and still recovering. Congratulations on your surgery and starting a whole new life.

I wish I had not been so scared to take control of my life about 10 years earlier. I truly believe that had I RNY about ten years before I may not have done so much damage to my joints. Waiting really is my only regret. I had expected recovery to be so much worse than it really was, I did not expect to hate fast food and junk food so much. I did not expect that I would now crave quality Proteins, veggies and fruits. This is a great problem to have! I do wish I had known that I was going to want to complete my weight loss journey by having plastics. I thought all this lose skin would not bother me so much but it does both from a cosmetic point of view as well as a medical point of view. Had I known I would feel this way, I would have saved for years to ensure I had enough money saved up to complete plastics. It just means it will likely take me longer to get there but I now know I won't stop until I look as good on the outside as I feel on the inside. I now say this: Having a lot of loose skin is better than having all that fat, having the scars from plastics is better than having all that loose skin. Having just had my first plastics last week (brachioplasty), I am completely excited for my future. And that makes me excited for anyone that is going to do it as well. You simply don't know until you experience walking up your first set of stairs 150lbs lighter. I also wish I had known how supportive my family would be! I know mine has been through all of it with me and it is not easy for them seeing you go through a surgery like this. When I made the decision to change my life, I did not know how much it would impact their lives. But it does...... All of the pain from RNY and plastics is worth the end result!

I have heard the pouch test can be very successful but only if the person doing it is in a position to change their lifestyle ahead of time. The pouch will help you with restriction but you have to go back to basics and follow the plan as if you had surgery 5 days ago. If you don't, it will be a temporary fix again and you might lose some weight but in the long term it will come back. You have to remember the pouch is the tool that will help you but it is 100% up to you to ensure that what you put in your mouth is within your plan. As I am sure you know, the older you get the harder it will be to take that weight off again. That being said, I would suggest talking to your nutritionist and a therapist to help you get back to basics and stay there. We are forever in that obese category, even if we have lost all of our weight. Obesity is a metabolic disease and requires treatment every day. I might also suggest you have a Bariatric lab panel pulled so you can see where the deficits are in your nutrition. I am guessing if you aren't following the food plan, you likely have not been following the Vitamins and Protein plan either. These things determine you long term health. I wish you the best of luck and really hope that your are able to get back on track soon. Please keep us posted.

@@inkdcosmoqueen You asked what will happen? Just for starters,,,, - your hair can fall out - you will likely develop osteoporosis - you will become malnourished This list could go on and on.... Ask yourself why you had this surgery in the first place? Was it to get healthy? If so, you put your goals at risk. But I think you already know that. Time to start holding yourself accountable.

@@KCNielsen I would start by calling your insurance and asking them to recommend a Bariatric center of excellence in your network. They will provide some recommendations that will get you started on the process. I would also warn you not to select "your" surgical approach until after meeting with as surgeon and going over your health history. If you get a good surgeon, they will provide a recommendation based on your health. For example, if you currently suffer from Gerd/reflux, the right surgery for you may be RNY as it cures this disease and the sleeve can make it much worse. The type of surgery you have really depends on your medical history. The good news about all of this is that both surgeries are top notch and can deliver incredible life changing results. It has certainly done so for me! If you have other questions, feel free to message me and I will be happy to help.

I was allowed to eat lettuce as soon as I was released for all foods. That being said, I did not tolerate it at first. It almost felt like it was piling up and not processing. I kept trying each week and finally I was about 6 months post op before I tolerated it.

I honestly don't know that I have picked up a new addiction at all. If I had to say anything it would be shopping and trying on new clothing. Once you can buy your clothes anywhere this becomes fun!

So getting the most out of a buffet post of is not an option in most cases and even harder with a Chinese buffet. If you can order a small plate or appetizer and skip the buffet itself that would work best. Many times with Chinese buffet, this is not an option so I will literally pick meat and veggies out of the buffet. That being said, I usually don't end up eating what I do pick out because of my restriction. When a Chinese restaurant has Hong Kong beef on the menu, I will order that and take the leftovers home. It is basically a filet mignon with Chinese veggies and it is delicious. YUM......or I will choose mu shu chicken or pork and don't use the little pancakes. Keep in mind there really is a ton of salt in Chinese food. Just do the best you can but don't expect to get your money's worth, that just doesn't happen at a buffet.

Best of luck to you! I can only tell you that the whole process is absolutely worth it!

I just had my first plastics on Thursday of last week. I started with my arms and 3 to 4 months from now intend on having a Abdominalplasty and breast lift with augmentation. I am nearly 23 months post op from RNY,and I reached goal in March of this year. I still have not figured out why some insurances cover the cosmetic surgeries and some do not. Unfortunately mine does not and the costs have to come out of my pocket. From what I understand if it is reconstruction it is covered such as someone who has had breast cancer and now needs their breasts reconstructed. The scary thing is, if anything goes wrong like you get an infection and have to go to the hospital insurance can deny those costs as well because they would have been caused by cosmetic surgery. Honestly, this is one insurance rule that needs to change. Obesity is a disease and reconstruction is necessary in a lot of cases. Many times simply having the apron of skin removed is covered but if your muscles need tightening to give you that tight stomach you are on your own. Most of us need that tightening...... Anyway for now I guess if I want anything done it has to come out of my own pocket.

I am RNY and have severe arthritis of the spine, shoulders and knees. NSAIDs of any kind are off limits to me due to the concern of a serious ulcer. Currently I use Tylenol for mild pain, for more severe pain I have to use a narcotic but I really hate them. I am learning to use heat, ice, warm Water therapy and meditation to help control chronic pain. I do sometimes miss alieve but you have to learn to use alternatives.

I just had an arm lift yesterday and I can vouch for the fact that the pain level of plastics is definately greater than RNY but so darn worth it. My arms were the worst and in 3 months I will have a Abdominalplasty and breast lift with augmentation. Following that I am considering a lower body lift with a thigh lift. For me, insurance does not cover a dime of the surgery. It is all out of pocket and must be paid in advance. They were willing to help with interest free financing but I have been saving money for this for a long time knowing I would want to have my arms done. My arm lift cost - 5950.00 My Tummy tuck and breast lift with augmentation cost - 16,700.00 that includes one night in the hospital. I can honestly say already that the pain and scars are well worth the trade off for me. I have been at goal since March of this year and simply could not lose my big arms. My surgeon used a technique where she does lipo to remove the fat first and then removes the skin which means she can get them pretty darn small. The next 3 month wait is going to take forever to get here. In terms of the pain from Abdominalplasty, my surgeon will be adding a pain pump right into the site which should help with pain for the first few days.

This is very common for many of us. The only time I actually see the difference is in pictures. I look in the mirror and still see the fat me and I am far from fat these days. What is weird is, when I was fat I used to look in the mirror and thought I was actually not that fat. Now I see those pictures and holy crap was I heavy. It just takes time for your brain and body to catch up. Take lots of pictures along the way!

Mine were pulled prior to surgery to get a baseline and then 6, 12, 18 months post op.

Obviously you already know this was not the right thing to do an I am glad you recognize it. My advice to you is to speak with a therapist just to better understand why you are self sabatoging so early on. If you were 6 or 8 months out it is one thing but you are so soon out of surgery that this could be a problem if you don't understand why. Everyone cheats once in a while, but not everyone attempts it so early on. It is quite dangerous and can set you up for failure down the road if you don't deal with the whys behind it. Just being honest here......you can do this! I am glad you recognize that it was the wrong thing to do. You just need to know why and address it.

I found a good option for calcium citrate because I too can not swallow pills that are too wide. Crushing the calcium citrate was the worst. So I went on to Amazon.com and found Bariatric Advantage chews. They are much like a starburst candy an comes in many flavors. They are not inexpensive but at least I know I will take them. All my other Vitamins are generic from Walgreens and my surgical team recommended them. I have had my blood work checked now 4 times and all my nutrients are perfect. My generic everyday Vitamin with added D is a small tablet that I bought from Walgreens on a buy one get one free and of course there is a whole years worth in one bottle. Same thing with my vitamin D3. Generic, buy one get one. I pay the most money for my calcium citrate and it is the most important thing I take daily. I also take the liquid b12 once per week and bought them on a buy one get one deal. Lastly I take B1 because initially I was low on that nutrient. Also bought as a buy one get one. All of those are small and can be swallowed after 4 weeks post op when the swelling goes down. You just have to try what works for you but I too hate chewables. They are discussing.

I cannot contain my smile. I had a consultation yesterday with my 1st choice plastic surgeon here in Delafield Wi. She had great reviews, is board certified, has a great team including her assistant and most of all she is also a woman and totally gets it. Even my husband who is very over protective, loves her. Every plastic surgeon I called would set up 1 appointment for each possible surgery charging a fee each time. I thought that was crazy given I wanted larger game plan for myself but I set up appointments anyway. I found her last and called her assistant who promptly told me that when they are speaking with someone who has multiple concerns they will book more time and provide all the time we needed. If you mentioned real self where I found her, they would do the consultation for free. She just transferred from another clinic so she has some open time much sooner. Anyway, she was awesome and I loved the way she was thinking about the work I need done. I never felt uncomfortable with her for even a second and let me tell you when you are standing there in their tiny little panties in all your loose skin is hanging everywhere for everyone to see......making one feel comfortable is important. My number 1 priority is having a brachioplasty because I have huge arms (yes, I will post some pictures soon). Then I wanted to discuss an Abdominalplasty and a breast lift with augmentation. She suggested that she would split them up exactly that way given my priorities and my current health issues (my bad back). She also wants my orthopedic surgeon to approve a small implant which we both agreed was reasonable but I do not want more back pain. Today, the girls are hanging low and pulling on my neck and back so even just putting them back where they belong would help but I really want some of my volume back, I chose a 300 gel implant. My appointment started at 9:30am and we left there at 1:00pm. Both my hubby and I had a million questions, then they did a photo shoot (my least favorite part), then her assistant went through the option and pricing. My brachioplasty will cost 5950.00. Then we went to scheduling and I knew I would get in quickly because most people have this type of work done in the fall and winter. So we asked for the soonest available appointment and they set me up for July 28th. On the way home her assistant called me back, they had a cancellation for this coming Thursday morning!!!! So this Thursday morning I will have what we have lovingly called my Grandma arms removed. My granddaughter will be destroyed, she always loved playing with my squishies as she called them. I will be thrilled!!!! Down the road, about 3 or 4 month from now, I will have the other portion done. I know several of you have asked about whether or not I would need to wait until I was a year at a stable weight which was one of my questions to her. She typically would like to see 6 months at a stable weight so we pulled up my tracker and I am nearly 5 months within the same 3 lbs, she was comfortable given I am just having the brachioplasty now. We will then wait for the next surgery at least 3 months. They would like you to not gain or lose anymore than 10lbs. If you have surgery too soon or lose too much, you could be looking at revisions. I am not planning on revising anything. One and done so I need to work hard to maintain. This gives me another reason to keep driving forward. That's my update...... Am I nuts or what? I am excited mostly, the only nerves that I have currently is because I have such terrible back pain but that is not going away any time soon. We both thought maybe getting some of this weight off my shoulders would help too.

It is the same as the first several weeks on the Atkins diet where you literally wipe out all carbs. Good and bad and yes your breath is horrible but your body begins to lose fat rapidly. I lost 80lbs on that diet in 1997. I even used the pee sticks to make sure I was in Ketosis. That is where you wanted to be. The problem I experienced as well as many of my coworkers that went on that diet at the same time is, as soon as you go off and begin eating carbs at all your body almost craves straight carbs all the time. I put on the 80 I lost and then an additional 30 on top of it. That was when I decided I was done dieting because everytime I did, I would gain it all back and more. From that day forward I simply ate what I wanted, continued to gain weight until I ended up at my heaviest at 315lbs. Then my mom became terminally ill and I lost weight simply from all the stress with trying to take care of her, my stepdad and work 60 hours a week. I dropped 50 and after she passed away gained that back and stayed there until I had surgery. This is simply my opinion. The best thing to do for our bodies and the health of our metabolism is to eat a well balanced diet. Quality Protein, good carbs via vegetables and fruits and whole grains. I try to follow that plan 98% of the time and so far it is working. I have almost 2 1/2 years on that program and I am hoping it sticks with me the rest of my life because I never want to go back there.

@@Sophie74656 Can you possibly walk a different way to avoid even knowing it is there? What seems to work for me is I convince myself that certain foods taste horrible and feel worse in my tiny tummy. Trust me, I swear my husband goes to McDonald's every single day. I use to love McDonald's and now just the smell of it turns my stomach and makes it very easy to say no dear, I don't want anything. I play tricks with my brain every single day.

By the way, nothing will stop you from losing it but Biotin and good Protein will ensure it comes back when the weight loss slows down. I remember hoping my weight loss wouldn't stop because I wasn't at goal and when it did at 13 months I was afraid I would not make it to goal. Wrong again, just because it slows way down doesn't mean you are done, it just means you have to work harder at it. Best of luck to you!

Ugh....the hair loss thing is a real pain. I lost at least 2/3 of my volume. It started in the first couple of month and did not stop until I was 13 months post off. I have very thick hair thank goodness. Now, it came back and I have very very very curly hair now. Apparently as a young child I had very curly hair and so does my granddaughter. It is nearly impossible to straighten with a straight Iron. I asked both my surgical team about it as well as my dermatologist and they both said that can happen. It happens to cancer patients all the time. My hair is so curly that it is 3 times as thick as it once was and I have had to learn from my 12 year old granddaughter how to take care of it. Thank goodness she is a girly girl and all about the hair and makeup. The first time she saw all my curly hair left Curley, she said "MOMO, your hair is just like mine! " I just smiled nicely because all these years I was telling her how lucky she is to have Curley hair. Guess what? I friggin hate it. It's too much work if you want to wear it straight.

I am attempting to share my before pics: Gosh, I swear they look even bigger on a picture. Looking forward to sharing the smaller arms when I am up to it.

Hooray! And I do remember you. You dropped off for a while, welcome back!

Bahahahahahahahaha! At first I thought "Oh no, not another negative post", then as I read through I believe Water squirted out of my nose and I almost choked to death. Too funny! Thanks for making this one fun!