Djmohr

I definately spend way more time cooking, shopping and planning meals.

Before surgery I was always eating junk and fast food, now I am playful to make sure I have the proper groceries and I have had to learn to cook differently.

I live on Pinterest finding recipes that I can use as a base and then tweak it to make it Bariatric friendly.

I am so happy for you! This guy sounds great and I really hope that you have found your guy. There is nothing better than finding the guy that truly is your other half.

Bless you!

Teeny tiny is what I hear most often. My boys who I see every few months are the most shocked by my weight loss. They have only ever known me as obese so they both are freeked out and tell me I am too skinny.

Oh and because I am tall I have heard a few references to my old favorite string bean. (Before I had my children I was tall an stick thin and was called string bean relentlessly by class mates)

If only I had know how much I would appreciate being called a string bean now. I have worked hard for it so I just smile when it happens.

My dermatologist who sees me every 10 weeks is shocked at how "teeny tiny" I am. He saw me at my worst in the hospital, 315lbs with a infection that could have taken my life so we are very close. He saved my life once literally.

Wait until he sees me in August! I had my first plastics and he is going to be happily shocked at the results.

I found the easiest way to get close to goals was to be sipping something every few moments while you are awake. For week 1 Protein was not important only fluids. Week 2 we added full liquids including Protein shakes, cream strained Soups, Greek yogurt and even cream of wheat.

Week 2 was when I started feeling somewhat normal again but was not even close to hitting Water and Protein goals.

Even though you don't feel like it you need to keep on sipping or you will get dehydrated, dizzy and nauseated which are signs of dehydration. Some people have ended up back at the hospital because they just did not feel like sipping.

Best of luck to you and congratulations!

@@2feelgood

@@Inner Surfer Girl is exactly right. I had RNY bypass and it controls how much I put in my body but certainly not what I choose to put in it. I can eat around my surgery all day long if I choose to. Trust me, there are days when I have only to find out that I had either stalled out or gained weight.

I got to goal and have remained there so far because I choose to follow the rules at least 90% of the time every day.

Why not try resetting before heading for another surgery? Go back to the basics. Start as if you had surgery yesterday and go on a liquid diet for a few days. Use the 5 day pouch test which you can google. Then follow the rules and see if the weight starts coming back off.

The most important this to do is track every single thing you put in your mouth. Leverage something like Myfitnesspal to do that.

Best of luck to you!

@@stephanie_kayln

I would immediately call your insurance and ask what is required of you for Bariatric surgery. Many times they require you go to a Bariatric center of excellence as part of the criteria. They will also give you the list of requirements needed to get your surgery approved. In most cases, if you choose your Bariatric center of excellent they will handle everything.

It is good that you have your appointment with your PCP because you will need them to do a pre op physical but I will warn you that so many general doctors are not as educated as they should be and tend to talk patients out of taking this step. Just be aware of this as you begin to work with them.

Congratulations on taking the first steps at getting help. It is worth all of the hoops you have to jump through but just realize there will likely be many.

Most programs require a 3/6/ or 12 month supervised diet. A BMI of 40 or more or 35 with comorbitities (you will have no problem here), many require the use of a bariartric center of excellence, monthly sessions with a nutritionist, clearance my a physiatrist and I am sure I am missing a few.

If you go to a Bariatric center of excellence, they will handle getting that all done with you and make clear what needs to happen.

I am post op 22 months. I have lost almost half of me, in went from 310 to 159 and just had my first plastic surgery to remove loose fat and skin.

Having weight loss surgery is the best thing I ever did for myself.

Best of luck to you!

I try to stick to Protein options that give you the biggest bang without all the sugar. For me, that solution hands down is Premier Protein ready made shakes. They have 30 grams of protein in an 11oz shake, they only have 1 gram of sugar and are 160 calories.

They don't have that crappy gritty protein taste and served ice cold are pretty great. Even 22 months post op I still have one every morning. It ensures that I hit my protein goal every day.

For me, it took 7 weeks before I felt like me again. By that time I was able to get all my fluids and Protein in and I remember going to Vegas for 11 days and I outlasted my family.

It will get better with time.

@@Indieflickers

Thanks for asking the questions. I am one week out from brachioplasty and still swelling like crazy. I am also itching like crazy and hoping that ends sometime soon. I don't know whether this level of itching is normal?

Everything I have read say there is some itching but this is crazy. Did you itch like crazy with your TT and Brachioplasty?

I have allergies to many different adhesives and I am actually wondering if I am having an allergic reaction to the glue or the mesh binding used on my incisions. I am currently taking Benadryl every 4 hours and it barely takes the edge off the itching.

I am hardly taking anything for pain anymore which can cause mild itching but my itching is only on my arms.

They look fantastic though, even swollen. It is crazy how you can literally feel your arms swell and tighten.

Hopefully your swelling goes down soon.

Most plastic surgeons will not remove loose skin until you are at goal and stabilized for 4 to 6 months. In some cases, costmetic surgeons will even require you are at goal and maintaining for a minimum of 1 year.

That does not seem normal to me. The only thing I noticed was how empty and flat my stomach became with every 10lbs lost.

The part about your stomach being numb is what I would be most worried about. Have you called your surgeons office?

@@melbell2222

Start by removing all the junk from your pantry and refrigerator.

Take each day on its own, in other words don't think about how long you have to do this.

Every single day of my liquid only diet, I reminded myself of why I was doing this in the first place. Keep your eye on the prize! Remind yourself constantly of that.

The first day is the worst and by the time you hit day 4 it becomes much easier.

Lastly, I would not have survived without good chicken bone broth. Everytime I felt hungry and was sick of the shakes I turned to the broth. Just having that hot cup of delicious broth in my hand to sip on really helped me through. Make sure it is good homemade broth not the crap in the can. That stuff tastes like dishwater......

Best of luck to you!

@@jesslo

First of all congratulations on your loss so far, it is excellent. If you are not hitting your Protein goals you will stall out. You need to find a Protein solution that works for you. I struggled hard those first few weeks with protein until I called my surgeon and told them.

That call changed everything for me. The Bariatric nurse who had RNY herself suggested that I try Premier Protein ready made shakes. Each shake has 30 grams of protein, 1 gram of sugar and 160 calories. Most importantly they don't have that nasty protein flavor or the grit from protein powders.

In the first few weeks, I had to milk them down with lactose free milk to thin them out. chocolate was and still is my favorite.

I am now 22 months post op and I still drink one everyday. Protein keeps you healthy and actually assists in weight loss. Besides Water, it is critical for your success.

You have to find a solution that will work for you but you must get your protein in to remain healthy through this process.

@@shannonmarczak

I have said this many times to many people. The only thing I regret is not having WLS sooner. I was 51 had diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, severe gerd, stage 3 kidney disease by the time I actually decided not to be scared anymore.

Within a few months of surgery all of my testing came back normal. I still have some issues with my kidneys but compared to where I was headed, I am extremely healthy! I regret waiting because all those years in an obese state left my joints severely damaged. In particular my spine and I have been paying for it ever since.

Don't wait and do more damage to yourself. Walk, no run to your closest center of excellence and get help for this disease.

You will not be sorry!

It very well could be an issue with your bowels. If you are having trouble going to the bathroom you should call your Bariatric team. You don't want to end up with a blockage.

Hope you feel better soon!

@@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.