catwoman7

ketones occur when you're eating really low-carb

I chose bypass specifically because I had GERD pre-surgery. Bypass often (but not always) cures it. And the sleeve often (but not always) makes it worse. I wasn't willing to take the risk.

What she said. You have to resign yourself to the fact that you'll need to watch everything you put in your mouth for the rest of your life. You will need to be on a continuous "diet" if you want to reach and maintain a normal weight. The surgery just makes that possible - but it'll take a lot of effort on your part. On the other hand, if you're happy being above a normal weight (and some people are), then there's that....

I eat berries with my Greek yogurt every day - have since I was first cleared to eat them (maybe a couple months out? I can't remember)

I just saw one review online, and it was a 5 star. He's on the med school faculty at CWRU and works at a teaching hospital, so I wouldn't be too worried. Since he trains *other* people how to do bariatric surgery, I'm sure he must be good and very well-qualified. I had mine done at a teaching hospital as well - the staff at those are usually top-of-the-line.

P.S. I've never regretted my RNY. I have lost 214 lbs and am within five pounds of a normal BMI.

most people seem to go with the sleeve because they feel it is less invasive and don't like the idea of having their intestines re-routed. But cutting out and throwing away half your stomach seems pretty drastic to me, too... If you have GERD, you should strongly consider RNY. It cures GERD for most people. I used to have it every day, and since surgery 18 months ago, I've had it maybe five times. The sleeve can often make it worse - and I didn't want to risk that.

lots of people have strictures. I had two (I think they were in week 4 and week 8). No problems with them since, but they're pretty rare once you get past the 3 month mark.

if you have a lot of weight to lose, you're going to have loose skin no matter how fast or slow you lose it and no matter which surgery you have. Like others, I would take my loose skin *any* day over weighing almost 400 lbs again!!

I'm pretty private about my surgery so I'd never use it publicly. Maybe for home use, though

statistically the DS results in the best weight loss and it's supposedly easier to maintain that loss. I know it's sometimes recommended for people with really high BMI's (which was me pre-surgery). If it was available to me, I would have gone that route as I had over 200 lbs to lose. But my insurance didn't cover it, and my surgeon doesn't do it. So I went with the second most effective - the RNY - and through a lot of hard work I was able to lose all my excess weight. There are sleevers who have done it too, though - it's just going to take a lot of hard work and dedication.

I had my first stall during weeks 2 and 3 post-surgery. It broke during week 4 - and I immediately dropped 6 or 8 lbs (within a couple of days)

the only one I've heard about is Iron - but I drink caffeine in the morning and take my iron at night, so I never worried about it

I weaned myself off it pre-surgery ("cutting" it with increasingly more decaf until I was drinking exclusively decaf). I was allowed to start drinking it six months after surgery, but only 1-2 cups a day. That's fine with me - that's about all I drank beforehand *anyway*...

I lost 16 lbs the first *month* and have lost over 200 lbs since my surgery. Everyone loses at their own rate, and stalls are common - even within the first month post-surgery. Just stick to your program and the weight will come off

35 lbs in five weeks is phenomenal, actually....that's on the extreme high end of the range

i would call my surgeon's office and let them know.

my hunger came back at six months out. It doesn't take nearly as much to satisfy it as it did pre-surgery, though and like others have suggested, stick to your plan...

happens to almost everyone - a stall within the first month of surgery. Search "three week stall" (that's what we call it, since it usually (although not always) occurs during week 3 post-surgery)

for comparison, the first six months or so (except for the initial big drop that first month), I lost 10-12 lbs a month. Months 7 up to about a year, I lost about 6-10 lbs a month

P.S. if you decide to travel, I've also heard great things about Dr. Capella in New Jersey and Dr. Michaels in Maryland (DC area). But yes - Peter Fisher has a great reputation, too

Lawrence Zachary (in Chicago) is supposed to be great and specializes in patients who've had massive weight loss, but I've heard he's pretty expensive. I'm kind of in the same boat as you are - would prefer the Chicago area or southern Wisconsin.

it does take your mind forever to catch up with it. I find myself looking in dressing room mirrors when trying on clothes, lamenting on how "fat" my stomach and butt are. I am now exactly 6 lbs overweight. Eighteen months ago, I weighed almost 400 lbs. Really??!!!???

I use a sugar/Splenda blend, and not much of it at a pop, but then, I'm not as carb/sugar sensitive as some people.

pre-surgery, smoothies were my go-to breakfast. Now I don't have them much anymore (I usually have Greek yogurt with a few fresh berries on top), but when I make them, I use unsweetened almond or cashew milk (instead of my former juice or regular milk), skip the yogurt, use a scoop or two of fruit- or vanilla-flavored Protein powder for the protein (if you use fruit-flavored powder, it can easily replace some of the fruit), and then *some* (not a lot) frozen fruit. for example, peach-flavored Protein Powder, half a frozen banana, a handful of frozen berries....