catwoman7

you don't lose as much the first month because the first month is a lot of "water weight", which you've already lost. Other than that, I'm guessing it's about the same. I lost 57 lbs pre-op, and I still ended up losing 100% of my excess weight.

some do some don't. It's definitely not universal. I'm not sure you're going to be able to get them to cover it if there's an exclusion in your policy. Some folks go to Mexico when they're in that situation since it's usually a lot cheaper

I'd read to expect $8k-$10K per procedure, with the lower body lift (LBL) counting as two procedures since they're doing front and back. But for the rest - arm lift, breast lift, etc - count on about $8K-10K each. I found this to be pretty much on the money during my consults (I went on three consult visits) - the quotes I got were pretty much what I expected. I had an LBL, arm lift, and a breast lift - it was done in two visits a few months apart - and my total bill was right around $40K. I'm retired - so I didn't have to worry about work. However, plastic surgery was much more painful and a tougher recovery than gastric bypass was. After the first week or so, though, it was more discomfort than pain (and that discomfort lasted for a long time), and I was driving after about 10 days. I guess I could have gone back to work after two or three weeks (if I worked, that is...) I also got a quote from Dr. Francisco Sauceda in Mexico. He was quite a bit cheaper - it's been awhile, but I think it was around $26K for everything. But I decided I'd rather go to someone within driving distance from here in case I had any complications. It'd be a lot easier than having to fly somewhere (esp out of the country) if I couldn't find a doctor here to deal with complications.

I haven't but I know a few people who have. Some went back to basics (not all the way back to liquid diet and protein shakes, but (dense) protein first, then non-starchy veggies, and then, if you have room, a small serving of fruit or whole grain carbs). They also lowered their average calorie intake a little every week or two until they found a level that they'd lose weight at. There are also a few who did Weight Watchers.

I'm not sure if mine did at all - but then, I lost over 200 lbs. I finally had plastic surgery to get rid of it.

fluids go right through you so you're not going to stretch your stomach. I was worried I was drinking too fast at first, too. I think some people can just drink faster than others. I did try to force myself to slow down, though - just in case...

some people take up things like knitting to keep their hands busy. Or anything that gets them out of the house. I try to get out of my house since I'm not as likely to think about food when I"m out and about. When I was stuck in the house this past winter (with the polar vortex), I did jigsaw puzzles (not all the time, of course...but when I needed to keep myself from mindless eating...)

I think I lost 15 lbs then

we must have been posting at the exact same time. You're still VERY early out. What you're feeling is very common and usually passes pretty quickly. I had the same thoughts early out, but not for long. I had to remind myself that I'd tried to lose weight many, many, MANY times and it'd always come back. I came to the realization that the only way to permanently deal with the problem was WLS. I'm really glad I had it - although the first couple of weeks, I felt the same as you do. It's very common.

if you're early out, that is a common feeling that usually passes fairly quickly. If you're further out, you might want to consider therapy. It's no fun feeling that way!

I thought the pre-op diet was the worst part of the whole ordeal. In spite of being nervous being rolled into surgery, I was glad the damn pre-op diet was over! All you can really do is white knuckle it and keep reminding yourself it's only temporary. I savored my V8 and chicken broth - and I ate sugar free popsicles and sugar free Jello with abandon since they were the only things that resembled real food. It does get better by day 4 or so, though. I wasn't as hungry because my body had gone into ketosis by then. But still, it sucks.

buyer's remorse during the first few weeks is normal - and so is being emotional due to a flooding of hormones. You'll get through it and will most likely end up being very happy you had the surgery

pretty much everybody has that. It happens within the first 4-6 weeks after surgery. We call it the "three week stall" because it usually happens the third week, but not always. Mine was week 2 and 3. My weight loss started up again during week 4, and I dropped like 6-8 lbs within a couple of days. Do a search on this site for the three week stall - you'll find literally hundreds of posts on it.

I don't use MFP, but as far as macros go, it depends on your plan. Most people are told to focus solely on protein and fluids at first, since you'll be eating so little the rest doesn't really matter quite yet. We were told to aim for at least 60 grams of protein per day, and that seems to be pretty common.

very common. Another often heard reason is that estrogen is stored in fat cells, and when you start losing weight quickly, the estrogen floods your system. Whatever the reason, it'll stabilize after awhile.

Four years out and in maintenance for 2.5 years. I can maintain my weight if I stay within a 1500-1700 range.

I've read about that on another site. Evidently, people have found limited success with those procedures. They'll lose some weight, but not a lot.

there isn't a difference in hair loss between the two surgeries that I'm aware of. Hair loss can be a side effect of any surgery, but it's more common in weight loss surgeries because we're not taking in much protein or calories those first few months. This would be true of either surgery. AND..not everyone loses hair. And some people just lose a little - not enough for anyone else to notice. Even if you're one of the unlucky ones who loses a lot, others may not notice - and in the end, it all grows back. It's totally worth it.

are you tracking everything you eat? Stalls don't normally last for two months - you may have put yourself in maintenance. Be sure you're sticking to your program. I have to weigh and measure most things - I am NOT good at estimating.

some people become lactose intolerant - at least temporarily (although sometimes permanently) after WLS, and some people can't tolerate sugar alcohols (the artificial sweeteners they put in a lot of those things). SO maybe one of those??

I've always done Centrum (or the generic equivalent) and haven't had any issues. Lots of WLS patients take them. As long as a vitamin meets the ASBMS (American Society of Bariatric & Metabolic Surgeons) requirements, it should be fine. for calcium citrate, I have three ways I take it --- Upcal D (a powder which I mix into things like yogurt), generic calcium citrate tablets from Walgreens or CVS, and Bariatric Advantage calcium chews which are great for traveling or for when you're out and about and not near your regular calcium stash (I always keep a few of them in my purse for that reason).

it's a stall. You'll get those periodically. Just stick to your plan and it will break. My first one lasted two weeks.

I used to like Quest a lot. Quest Hero's are esp good. Oh Yeah Ones are also pretty good (make sure you get Oh Yea One and not regular Oh Yea's, though - the "one" means one gram of sugar). Also, I've had a couple of Fit Crunch lately and love them. Power Crunch are also good, but not as filling as some of the others.

with perishable items like dairy and meats, I stick to the expiration date. With other things, I don't so much unless they're WAY out of date. I think they legally have to put an expiration date on food items, but many things can last weeks - or even months or years - beyond that. I don't think I'd try protein powder that was *years* out of date, but a couple of months? (or maybe even a few more than that?) - probably yes - unless it smelled funny.

like the above poster, I had very little pain. Although people are all across the board on this, it seems like most have little if any pain - so sorry you're one of the unlucky ones. My plastic surgery was MUCH more painful than my RNY was (and a much tougher recovery - yikes!!)