catwoman7

I don't feel "full" in the same way I did pre-surgery. I feel sort of uncomfortable pressure in my chest. I know when I feel that that I need to stop eating or I'm going to be sorry...

most people (not all - but most) lose their sense of hunger for up to a year post-surgery. For a lucky few, hunger never comes back. the pre-surgery liquid diet is different, though - that's the worst part of the whole ordeal, IMHO. It's hell - but most of us have been there and have made it through. I ate lots of sugar free popsicles and sugar free Jello (the latter since it was the only thing I could have that somewhat resembled real food). You just have to white knuckle it and remind yourself that it WILL end. I was so glad to be rolled off to the OR the morning of my surgery knowing that the stupid pre-op diet was OVER!!

for most people, yes, gastric bypass greatly improves if not outright cures heartburn. Mine completely went away for the first three years. I have it occasionally now (I'm nine years out), but it's pretty mild and a couple of Tums (or something similar) will usually knock it out.

I'm nine years out and have been in maintenance for the last seven years. I eat around 1600 calories a day to maintain my current weight. The only macro I pay attention to is protein, because we learned very quickly after surgery that I malabsorption it. So I aim for 100 grams of that a day. Besides that, I just try to eat a balanced diet - protein, vegetables, a little fruit, some whole grains, an occasional handful of nuts, mostly. but if you're still trying to lose weight, 1600-ish would be too high (at least for most women). And even in maintenance, people's caloric needs are so different. There are women on here who maintain on 1200 calories and others who maintain on 2000. Depends on your metabolic level, how active you are, how muscular you are, what amount of weight you're trying to maintain (I'd have to eat a heck of a lot less if I weighed 110 lbs) - it's really just trial and error to figure out at what level you can maintain your weight.

I have not but I've known a few WLS vets who have - and all have had great results. I've read a lot of people regain the weight after they discontinue it, though. so you'll either have to keep up with it or else be really careful.

^^^. another idea - when my mother-in-law died a few weeks ago, we took a bunch of her stuff to St. Vincent de Paul (it's sort of like Goodwill), including her home scale. After we dropped the donations off, we went inside so I could get an idea of what all this stuff would sell for (for tax deduction purposes). I was shocked to see probably 30 scales in there! So that's another idea - as long as they work!

It can take a week if not longer for the first BM - there's not a lot in there because you haven't eaten solid food in a while. But that first one can be a doozy, so it might not be a bad idea to start taking a stool softener - or as NickelChip suggested, maybe some Benefiber. and as ms.sss said, for many of us, constipation becomes a chronic issue. I've been taking a capful of Miralax every morning for almost nine years to keep on top of it.

^^ as usual, I agree with everything Arabesque said. I wish my loss of interest in eating and hunger had never come back!!

you won't always show loss every week. In fact, most people experience occasional stalls when they won't lose anything for 1-3 weeks, even though they're sticking to their plan 100%. If and when you hit those, just make sure you're following your plan and stay off the scale for a few days. The stall WILL break as long as you're following all the rules. I had bypass, not sleeve, but I was post-menopausal. I lost over 200 lbs.

That's not normal. I'd check with your doctor.

this is the first time I've heard of a case like this, and I've been on this site for nine years. I malabsorb protein so from the get-go I've had to be sure to get at least 100 grams in every day, but it sounds like your mother's case is more extreme. I still have a protein shake every morning so I can be sure my intake ends up at least 100 grams by the end of the day, but it sounds like your mother may need even more than. that. Maybe her liver issues are a factor in this, too. I've taken OTC vitamins all along and have never had deficiencies - and that's true of many of us. Usually, OTC versions are fine (although you usually have to take two regular multis a day, rather than one (which is true of many of the bariatric-specific multis). She may have to get prescription-strength vitamins (I know they have prescription-strength vitamin D, for example - not sure about other vitamins). hmmm...not sure what to tell you. This sounds like a pretty rare condition, so I hope someone can help her!

check with the dietitian. You're not the only person who has trouble with artificial sweeteners - they may have some suggestions.

it's like that once you get into the second year. I had months where I'd only lose a pound or two. I'd think "well, this must be it..", and then I'd drop a couple more pounds. I finally stopped losing at 20 months out. It can take some people a couple of years.

I think it was about two weeks for me.

I think it was about two weeks for me.

nope - that's the same thing I told people! (except for other obese people - they know the "diet & exercise" thing is a bunch of schlock, so I was more honest with them. A lot of skinny people believe that, though...)

that might just go away on its own, as others have said - but I'm glad you have an appt with the surgeon tomorrow just in case. If it's something that WON'T go away on its own, it should be a fairly easy fix.

we weren't allowed coffee on the pre-op diet, or for the first three or four weeks after surgery. After that, we could drink decaf. We weren't allowed "real" coffee until about six months out. But as others have said, programs are all different.

2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, 1 year, and then annually after that (unless there's an issue). At around five years out, my clinic turns the reins over to our PCPs, unless the person is having issues.

that doesn't sound like dumping syndrome. Dumping syndrome happens within an hour or two after you eat and involves sweating or chills, heart palpitations, abdominal cramping, and diarrhea. if not gall bladder, it could be constipation or slow motility, I suppose - which is probably why they're ordering a colonoscopy. It's kind of hard to say until they get in there to have a look. Keep us posted.

summerseeker is correct - many women of childbearing age experience an estrogen "flood" after surgery that can cause screwed up menstrual cycles and mood swings. It should settle back down to normal once your rate of weight loss slows down.

I honestly don't think I've ever had my hydration level tested, so I have no clue about that one! Have you been eating any high sodium foods? Or started doing strength-training recently? Both can cause some water retention. Other than that...??? high WBC usually means you're fighting an infection - although I just googled albuterol, and you're right - it can increase white blood cell count. That could be what's going on. I would imagine that if you were early out of surgery and your body was trying to heal, that could cause an increase as well - but since you're six months out, then no - probably not that. More likely water retention or the albuterol. Let us know what they think...I'm curious.

ditto on what Arabesque said. They're very rare and they almost always catch them before you even leave the hospital. You're likely out of the danger zone at this point (although like she said, they're treatable). I wouldn't worry about it.

Bypass patients are supposed to take B12 supplements (either by injection or sublingual tablets) because our new stomachs lack intrinsic factor which is needed to digest it. You likely won't absorb the B12 that's in your multi or food. So keep taking it unless/until your clinic advises you to stop. As everyone said above, high B12 isn't dangerous. I wasn't told to cut back on my supplement until mine went over 2000.

High B12 is common after surgery. Mine is always over 1000. In fact, I know vets who swear they feel better if theirs is over 1000. The only time my clinic ever said anything about my high B12 level was when it went over 2000 a few years back. And even then, they just suggested I cut back a bit on my supplement. Otherwise, it's met with a shrug. weird liver numbers are also pretty common after surgery. Rapid weight loss is hard on livers. My liver numbers didn't settle down until I was a year (or maybe more) out...but they did eventually stabilize (i.e., in the normal range). P.S. those hemoglobin and MCHC levels are so close to normal that I wouldn't worry about them. Your doctor or surgeon will let you know if they're in issue, but I'm guessing they're probably fine.