SuzeMuze

I completely agree with you, James! I also think it's important to point out that there's the equally scary reality that some folks don't "dump" at all no matter what they eat. It only takes a bite with no ill effects... that turns into two...and possibly more, which will defeat the purpose of what your'e trying to accomplish. Me personally? I stay away from fatty sugary stuff from an equal fear of dumping and worrying that I won't dump and revert back to old habits.

Congratulations to you! You're taking a huge step toward a healthier you, and the fact that you acknowledge there will be bumps in the road is actually a good thing. These forums were (and still are) a great source of information, experiences and support for me- I hope it's the same for you. Best of luck to you!

I've had the Mirena for a little over 8 years and had 2-3 very light periods a year with it. However, since RNY (and after what I guess was an adjustment time) I have them now regularly every 3 weeks or so, and they're not light by any means. (1 week on, 2 weeks off for the most part) Kind of annoying, but no doctor seems concerned about it.

Sadly, yes. I never had magazine worthy boobs to begin with, but (along with my batwings) they are my #1 disappointment with what's left of me physically. Even at nearly 300 pounds at my highest weight, my boobs were quite small compared to the rest of me and they went "bye bye" with the weight loss. My RNY surgeon recommended a plastic surgeon in my area who confirmed that I have "no breast mass tissue" left after all this weight loss. Don't get me wrong, I'd NEVER go back to where I was, but the "Water balloon in a tube sock" look w/o a bra is traumatizing to me. I'm having a lift/implants done next month, and even though I'm nervous because it's cosmetic & I can't approve the results beforehand, I'm pretty excited!

For what it's worth, I'm 9 months out and have been able to enjoy pizza for the last 3 or so. Thin crust, and usually not even a whole slice...and not always. Sometimes it's fine, sometimes I regret the choice, but for the most part, pizza is in my life now and then

Even if you do get sufficient Protein, hair loss can happen. Since about a month after surgery, I've consistently gotten over 100g of protein a day and still had it happen to me. I think I'm the only one who notices it, but it still really bothered me. Fortunately, a couple of weeks ago, I pulled my hair back and laughed out loud when I saw this little 2 inch corona of baby hairs framing my head- looks like it's growing back- yay!

Aww, I feel like I'm "too late" in responding, but I'll go ahead and echo what the other "posters" have said. I didn't have very severe emotions, but I did wonder what I'd just done to myself & if I'd ever feel "right" again. Honestly, 9 months out I really don't even want all the junk food that was such a big part of my life before RNY. Once the weight started coming off, that was my real motivation to keep going, I've worked so hard to get where I am, I don't want to sabotage myself. And yep.. I can eat "normal" food now- even stuff that's not on my list like a bite of a real cookie or pie...I just have to modify my other choices that day to keep myself accountable for choosing to eat that bite of whatever the treat was. Hang in there- it WILL get better

@@caligul Congrats on venturing into what I fondly call "The other Side of Dress Barn"! For years my only stores were Lane Bryant & Dress Barn, and I dreamed of the day I could stroll about any store I wanted and be able to wear some of those cute outfits. But... oddly enough, when it happened to me, it was a near panic attack when I walked into Dress Barn and instinctively went to the right side of the store, only to find out nothing fit me any more. I cautiously wandered over to the left side & immediately convinced myself that nothing would possibly fit- everything looked so small! It'll get easier, I promise! The only thing I still can't get used to is actually having to try stuff on- that was always a nightmare for me & I got really good at eyeballing what would fit and what wouldn't at those stores. Strange how the clothes I was so eager to wave goodbye to were actually such a source of comfort to me in a weird way. I still have a few of my original clothes & try them on from time to time to remind myself of how hard I've worked and that this life is way better than that one was!

Wow- so many folks having their surgery tomorrow! Best of luck to you all- stay strong and congratulations!

@@missy5099 I'm in Maryland, a bit north of DC and had RNY back in October. I'd love to stay in touch with you and help you along with anything you might need

@@thbrown223 Glad I could help!

Yep, so was I. So much so that I asked to have extra time to see the surgeon again at my pre-op appointment last week for a 'lil extra assurance that I was going to turn out ok. The surgeon was happy to oblige to ease my fears.

As someone who's going through exactly the same thing, here's what I would advise based on my consultations with a plastic surgeon. 1. Take a good, honest look at your body and prioritize what you really want/need to change, and what you can live with. Due to anesthesia limitations, my surgeon told me that I couldn't wake up and be "fixed", but could choose two of the 4 procedures I wanted done at a time. For me, that ended up being the boobs & arm lift- the two things I felt caused me to feel the most self conscious and were the hardest to disguise, especially in the summer. The other two can wait till winter time. 2. Get an expense estimate with the length of validity. Plastic surgery is quite expensive, and depending on what you're interested in, many insurance companies won't cover the cost. Check out financing options to help guide your priorities. 3. Ask to see before/after pictures, and allow the surgeon to "manhandle" you to give a relative idea of the results. This part was a living nightmare for me to be honest- standing in a pair of (horrifying) surgical panties in front of a complete stranger who was pushing, pulling and tugging at parts of me that I didn't want to touch, let alone someone else But....it gave me a semi-realistic view of what he could do to help, and he realized my discomfort immediately and said something along the lines of "I know this is rough for you, but think of it this way. I see women just like you every single day. I'm not looking at what you are, but what you can become. I'm an artist, and your'e my canvas. Let me show you the beautiful artwork I can create." I was sold. 3. If you're going for a boob job, don't be afraid to try them on for size. My surgeon had a special bra you could pop implants in to get an idea of how you'll look- kind of like those maternity belly pillows some of us tried on in the store when we started needing maternity clothes It's ok if you have no idea what would look good- he/she will, and will be able to explain the types of implants and what they would recommend. 4. If the idea of scars freak you out...I asked my surgeon to use his marker to actually draw the placement of the scars on me. I "wore" them for a day and decided I could live with it. 5. It's your body, but it's his/her specialty. My surgeon was recommended by my RNY surgeon as the best in our area, and I couldn't agree more. I did a ton of research online about him, his practice, and the procedures I was considering. If there is anything about any procedure that I'm not completely happy with, he'll "fix" it without charge. I'd recommend that anyone else do the same. Hope this helps!

It sure will- stay strong! I agree with you that getting all the "yuck" flushed out of my system before surgery was definitely the toughest part!

@@Elode Congrats- you're a great inspiration!

I told my boss, a co-worker who had RNY with the same surgeon, my immediate family and a couple of close friends. I got asked all the time "What's your secret?" and I initially felt guilty telling folks that it was diet, exercise and working closely with a doctor & nutritionist. I just didn't want to deal with the stigma of WLS. However, in retrospect, I didn't lie at all. WLS is a tool, not the cure. You can alter your body with surgery, but if you don't commit to the dietary and exercise changes, we've all heard the stories of people who gain the weight right back. No one's asked me outright if I had surgery, and I'm not sure what I would tell them, though a couple of people (well meaning as they might have been) asked me if I was sick because I'd lost so much weight since the last time I saw them! I feel it's our personal business what and who we tell- I'd have no problem at all telling anyone who was interested in the surgery, though. That's a big reason why I had it in the first place- I had a good friend who had it done and was very real with me with her advice and experience. Plus...if telling someone is going to help them get on track to a healthier lifestyle, I'd think I would be doing myself and them a disservice by not disclosing my surgery and how it's done wonders for my health and overall well being.

Eating out does get easier! I'm 9 months post op and can enjoy something from nearly everywhere, though it's usually a bread bowl of soup (not eating the bread part), an appetizer, or something off the kid's menu- don't let the "12 and under" label think you can't get it...I've never been in a restaurant that's questioned whether or not I can order from it. I'll just tell them I'm not that hungry.

I'm currently working with Dr. Guy Cappucino in Mount Airy, MD. Not super close to DC, but he was recommended by my RNY surgeon. Super nice guy, very thorough and has had excellent results from what I've seen.

At first I went with the Pure Protein chocolate drinks...not too bad. Now without a doubt my fave is the Syntrax nectar brand- they win the taste test hands down! Some of them are too sweet for me, but the Lemon Tea is my drink now every single day- I highly recommend trying some samples! (I purchase it at the Vitamin Shoppe) At first I went with the Pure Protein chocolate drinks...not too bad. Now without a doubt my fave is the Syntrax Nectar brand- they win the taste test hands down! Some of them are too sweet for me, but the Lemon Tea is my drink now every single day- I highly recommend trying some samples! (I purchase it at the Vitamin Shoppe)

Isopure was a godsend in the first few weeks after my surgery- I didn't find anything else other than "New Whey" Protein shots (which I found were dreadful from the first sip, but when I was drinking from a 1-ounce medicine cup, I could tolerate nearly anything) that had more bang for the buck as far as protein content. However, I do agree with @@James Marusek- my tastes changed, and what was palatable at first became very metallic tasting. I see those bottles now and my stomach instinctively knots. I'm sorry you didn't have a better experience with them

If you're looking for amazing recipes, I would highly recommend taking a look at: http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com She's got tons of fantastic suggestions for every stage of WLS, plus lots of encouragement in her very "real" blog about her own weight loss journey. Any time I find myself in a "food rut" or wanting everything and nothing at all, I'll check out her writings and always find something great! Who knew you could slice up a Quest bar and pop it in the oven for a few minutes to turn it into Cookies?? YUM!

@@Reason to Believe Welcome to the boards! Congratulations for taking the first steps toward a healthier you! ALL changes are big ones & I'm proud of you for the "No diet soda" step- that was a rough one for me too! You'll find all kinds of help and advice from the fellow posters here to encourage and support you. Please don't hesitate to share your thoughts and fears with us- we're here to help

Ummm... a little dose of "realism" here. RNY is a tool, not a cure. I'm willing to bet you didn't gain close to 100 pounds in 5 months. The fact that you lost that much is phenomenal, isn't it? Second thing to remember- your body will dictate how fast, how much and when you will lose the weight. Period. You can change it up all you want and enjoy some small losses when you hit those stalls or whatnot, but your body is in charge here. It's been one of the hardest things for me to accept throughout my RNY journey as I've been stuck at about 6 pounds from my goal weight for nearly 2 months no matter what I try and do to kick it back into gear. So, I truly enjoy my life now and not obsess that I didn't get exactly what my surgeon set as my goal weight. Dropping 100 pounds for you has already added years to your life and probably done wonders for your health, no matter how far away you might still be. I'm incredibly proud of you and everyone else here who's done so much to get healthy. Please don't obsess over "how much is enough"- you'll only drive yourself nuts.

I certainly can't answer for everyone but for me, I use Splenda regularly, just like sugar for baking, sweetening iced tea, whatever. And it hasn't caused me a single issue. Whatever I cook, I substitute equal measures of Splenda for sugar & I can't tell the difference. I also drink gallons of the sugar free Crystal Light type drinks cause plain water's boring. Again, you might react differently, and/or your surgeon might not even recommend it for you. Just my 2 cents.

@@proudgrammy I know, right? I was practically peeing Pixy Sticks! I can't believe with the other issues (that were ultimately caused by the diabetes) that no one ever thought to do a check for it sooner! Hey, I'll take "normal as you"- you're one of the happiest people I've seen...I'll take it as a compliment! Yeah, I'm pretty close to my goal, but it's slowing way down, and that's ok. I've also come to grips with the fact that I'm a human being, and I deserve to relax a bit. I'd been pretty militant about what I ate until a couple of months ago...when it hit me that it won't hurt to enjoy food every now and then. Is it "Cheating"? Nope.. cause I chose to eat those no-sugar-added fake chocolate covered raisins. And ya know what? It may take me a while to lose these last 8 pounds...but I'm a happier person and I'm not gaining any weight!