catwoman7

that's a great way of putting it! I personally wouldn't worry about the extra two grams, either. She's obsessively restrictive, in my opinion. It's not like it's a bowl of ice cream! I probably shouldn't say this because I often preach that people need to stick to their plan, but my last dietititian (who just recently left - haven't met her replacement yet) was really into "intuitive eating" and hated the fact that I count calories. HATED it. I finally just quit letting it come up in conversation. I'd smile and nod. I know intuitive eating works for some people, but I know myself - I'd intuitively eat my way back up to 300 lbs again if I didn't constantly monitor my calorie intake (and it's not like I punish myself if I go over some days - that's life - but overall, there's a certain level that I try to average). That's worked for me. I'm not going to give up something that's worked for me. your dietititian reminds me of people who fret because their vitamin has 20 calories in it. ARRRGGH. Just walk from your bedroom to your living room and you'll probably burn that off...

they typically last 1-3 weeks. Mine lasted two weeks and then I dropped like 6-8 lbs within a couple of days. Hang in there, stick to your plan, stay off the scale, and know that it WILL break and you'll be on your way again!

lots of us!

they used to take gallbladders out routinely during WLS, but they don't anymore. Lots of us take ursodiol (Actigall) for the first few months after surgery now. It doesn't completely prevent gallbladder trouble, but it greatly reduces the risk. I never had any issues with mine (almost eight years out)

there's something very wrong there. I'd go back to my surgeon, too.

the majority of sleevers don't develop GERD, but about 30% do. Usually it's mild enough that it can be controlled medically (PPIs, usually), but in some cases it's so severe that the only option is revision. I don't know the percentage of those who have to get a revision, but it's probably pretty low - but still, yes, it's something to consider when trying to make a decision. some people with pre-op GERD are willing to take the risk, and often they luck out and it doesn't get any worse (and for some, it improves), but I wasn't willing to take the risk. I was afraid I'd be one of the unlucky ones, so I went with bypass. I love my bypass and am glad I made that decision. I think a lot of surgeons prefer doing VSG because it's an easier surgery (for them) and there are fewer potential complications with it (although honestly, not many people have complications with bypass, either), but they'll often suggest RNY to their patients who already struggle with GERD, because there's a change it could get worse. RNY will usually improve if not cure GERD. good luck with your decision - it's not an easy one. And remember that ultimately it's your body and your choice. My surgeon did say he'd do the VSG if I wanted it, but he wanted me to at least consider RNY since I had GERD. I'm glad I made the choice I did - but he would have done either one.

lactose intolerance or intolerance to certain artificial sweeteners can cause that, but if it's happening in response to water, too, then that's not it. I hope they can figure it out for you - that would be awful!! also, various colors of poop aren't that unusual during the first month after surgery. Although I'd at least let my clinic know if another two or three weeks go by and it's still looking weird.

yep - stick to your plan, stay off the scale, and wait it out. Stalls are a normal part of the weight loss process. I think of it was your body having to stop and recalibrate once in awhile. As long as you're sticking to your plan, the stall will break and you'll be on your way again.

I didn't have them with my bypass (they used surgical glue), but two of my plastic surgeries involved a few staples. I don't remember it hurting when they removed them.

unfortunately, chronic constipation is an issue for a lot of us (with others, it goes away after they can start eating more fibrous foods like fruits and vegetables). I'm one of the former. I take a capful of Miralax every morning (and have for years), and for the most part, that keeps it at bay. But I still have issues maybe once a month. When that happens, a night or two of milk of magesia usually solves the problem. Oh - and like someone above said, I also take a magnesium tablet every day. That probably helps with keeping it at bay, too (those tablets are usually 250-400 mg. A shot of milk of magnesia is probably 5x that (or maybe more - I'd have to look at the bottle) - so magnesium is definitely a known "de-plugger". But the amount in a typical tablet is OK for every day use, and it helps with preventing it - I wouldn't do milk of magnesia as a daily prevention method - it's too strong - but for those times when you're already severely backed up - it does the trick - at least for me)

I was allowed to swallow pills as long as they were the size of pencil eraser or smaller as soon as I got home from the hospital (I've heard other people on here say they were allowed to swallow pills that were smaller than an M&M). Bigger pills I had to wait two or three weeks on, or until I was able to do it without difficulty. Only two of my pills were larger than that, but fortunately one was calcium (so I just got a chewable version), and the other was one that the PA at my clinic said was OK to skip for a couple of weeks. so I would say if you were able to swallow it without any problem, I wouldn't worry about it.

I went with bypass because I also had GERD before surgery. Not everyone has issues of their GERD getting worse after getting the sleeve, but I was afraid I'd be one of the unlucky ones whose did, and I wasn't willing to take that risk. But some people do take the risk, and for some it turns out OK. I'm pretty much on autopilot when it comes to taking vitamins. I take a small handful when I get up in the morning, and another small handful around dinner time. And my iron before I go to bed. I really don't even think about it much anymore. But yea, slacking off on vitamins has more consequences for bypassers than it does for sleevers, so it really is important to stay on top of them. taking tiny sips of water and eating microscopic pieces and portions is really just the first few weeks or months after surgery. I drink water at the same rate I always did, and I eat pretty normally now (except in smaller portions). If you swallow too big a piece of food, your stomach will let you know. I love my bypass and wish I would have had it years before I actually did. It's one of the best decisions I've ever made. I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

Goodwill fan here too! You're going to be blowing through sizes really quickly, so I wouldn't spend much money on clothes until you hit maintenance. I bought everything at second-hand stores except for underwear and swimsuits. You can always pick up incentive jeans at a second hand place, too!

UGH - you have really been through the wringer! I'm sorry you're going through all of this!

as the others have said, there's really nothing you can do to help with the hair loss other than keep on top of your protein and supplements so it won't be any worse than it already is. Hair loss is due to the surgery's trauma to your body (It can be a side effect of any major surgery - (or childbirth, too)) plus the super low calorie intake we have the first few weeks post-op. By the time it starts falling out, the "damage" has already been done. It'll stop after about three months and will grow back. Fortunately, I lost very little hair, so it wasn't noticeable. But some who lose more go for a shorter cut or wear scarves or something to take the focus off hair. A few people have heavy enough loss that they buy a wig - although that much loss doesn't seem to be that common.

check with your clinic. They probably have guidelines - and it may depend on your individual situation as well. I was allowed (and in fact, encourage) to walk the first month. At four weeks out, I was cleared for everything except for weights. at eight weeks out, I was cleared for weights.

I just ate it plain since none of the usual things you dip in it would have been allowed the first few weeks.

Totally agree with summerset (of course!!). Ferritin level is just as important as the iron level. It's the amount of stored iron in your body. Your body can tap into this storage when its iron levels get too low. And yes, it can take a long time for the ferritin level to deplete. . And also yes - there are a minority of bypass patients who don't absorb iron from oral supplements well, and therefore need to have occasional infusions to keep their iron levels up. They can bring your levels back up - but they might have to do an infusion to do it. Keep us posted... P.S. there can be other reasons for low iron levels, which I'm sure they'll investigate, but the one mentioned is the most common for bypass patients (even though most of us are able to maintain iron levels with oral supplements)

well, all of us are/were guilty of overeating, so for that part, no. For eating disorders like bulimia or BED (binge eating disorder), it depends. If you've overcome it, then no....shouldn't affect it. If it's a current issue, they may have you go through some therapy sessions or something before approving your surgery.

yea I went through a lot of that the first year. Eventually you get to the point, though, that either everyone has already seen you and your loss, or they never knew you when you were obese. So the further out you go, the less you have to deal with those awkward interactions. I can't even remember the last time it came up for me. Thank God.

I also ate refried beans and ricotta back a lot. Also, I remember eating hummus, too. And Greek yogurt.

yes - there are fewer complications with the sleeve, but on the other hand, there really aren't many complications with the bypass, either. There's the risk of dumping, but that only affects about 30% of bypassers, and it can be controlled by not eating a bunch of sugar or fat at one sitting (which we shouldn't be doing anyway). Strictures are another one of the most common complications, affecting about 5% of us (if you can call 5% "common", but that does give you an idea of how common complications actually are (i.e, not that common)). That one is an easy fix. And of course you can deal with nutrient deficiences if you slack off on your vitamin supplements. But besides those, complications just aren't that common.

I had one of my consultations with Dr. Shifrin. He's very well-known, that's probably why his prices are a little higher. Although Chicago prices in general are going to run high. I had the full lower body lift and none of my three consults would do more than that in one surgery. There are a lot of surgeons who don't like having patients under anesthesia for more than six hours, and you can't really do both a lower body lift and something else in that amount of time (I figured a tummy tuck wouldn't take as long as a lower body lift, since with the latter they do front and back, but i think my LBL was also about four hours). I had my breast and arm lift in a second surgery, and then about 18 months ago (long after my other surgeries) I had a face and neck lift by a different surgeon (one who specializes in facial plastic surgery) P.S. I also didn't like the fact that Dr. Shifrin did his surgeries in his office suite - or one other place in the area (can't remember where it was - somewhere in the Loop, though). He said I could stay at the hotel across the street (I was an out-of-town patient), but I really wanted to be monitored that first night, *just in case* something happened. That was the deal breaker for me.

it may be hard to find a surgeon who'll be willing to place a lapband. That surgery has largely been replaced by the sleeve as the non-RNY option, because so many people had complications with the lapband. A lot of people had to have their lapbands removed. P.S. you might want to try posting on the Lap band forum here on this site. They're the only members of Bariatric Pal who probably have a lap band these days. I almost never see posts from lap banders on the major forums anymore. Here's the link to the lap band forum: https://www.bariatricpal.com/forum/4-lap-band-surgery-forums/

yes I've been thinking about people who go down there for bariatric surgery, too, and yes - some of those border towns can be dangerous, but they believe the cartel mistook them for Haitian drug smugglers. If you're in a car with a driver from the bariatric center - and esp if he or she is from the area, you're probably safer. Plus I don't really hear about tourists getting murdered there - it seems to be mostly tourists getting robbed (that is, when it happens at all). I think a lot of the more violent crimes are between competing drug smugglers and cartels. Although yes - after hearing that story, I was a little freaked out, too. P.S. I know you're not a tourist, but you're an American - so people will probably assume you're a tourist. P.P.S. the state they went to is also listed on the US State Dept's Web site with a DO NOT TRAVEL warning. Tijuana is in a different state. It definitely has a dicey feel to it, and there are only certain areas of Tijuana that are safe for tourists, but also, you'll be with someone from the bariatric center, so they'll know what areas to avoid. I do understand your concern, though. I think i'd be feeling the exact same way after hearing that story.