catwoman7

things do sort of move around once you hit your goal and you look less gaunt than you did at first - but I can't remember if that affected my "turkey neck" or not. Might have a bit. At any rate, between the 200+ lb weight loss and my age (I'm in my 60s), yep, I had a turkey neck. I don't know if others noticed it or not, but I sure did. I did have mine removed as part of a facelift procedure I had at about six years post-op.

you're seven months out now - from about this point and for the rest of your life, you're going to occasionally have days like this. It was a holiday - even skinny people tend to eat more than usual or have special treats on such days. The trick is to get right back to it the next day and don't let it continue on. Sounds like you have a good plan.

those diets vary so much - some surgeons don't even require pre-op diets. Check with your clinic as they're the only ones who'll know for sure what your surgeon requires.

it's probably the IV fluid. It's basically salt water, which some people retain for a few days. I've heard of people "gaining" up to 10 lbs while in the hospital! Give it a few more days - should be all out of your system by then.

I had two - one at four weeks out and one at eight weeks out (they almost always occur within the first three months post-op. They're very rare after that). My clinic sent me over to the hospital to get an EGD (the doctor who did it was not a bariatric surgeon - he was just someone on the hospital staff who does EGDs). They knock you out - you won't feel anything or know what's happening. And I felt 100% better afterward. when I had mine, I first noticed I had what seemed like acid reflux, which I thought was odd since bypass usually cures that. A couple of days later, I was having a hard time keeping food down, which is when I called my clinic. if you're able to keep fluids down, they may not get you in right away - it may be a couple of days. If you can't keep fluids down, either, then that's critical - they'll get you in ASAP. People can live without food for a few days (or longer...), but not fluids.

believe it or not, my two-week pre-surgery diet was more restrictive than yours. I was only allowed no-calorie fluids, 4-5 protein shakes, sugar free Jello, sugar free popsicles, and one cup of broth or tomato juice a day.

not all surgeons say you can't have coffee or tea. Some are fine with it. No consensus at all on this issue..

there is absolutely no consensus at all among surgeons re: the caffeine issue. Some say you can never have it again for the rest of your life. Some patients are allowed to drink it before they even leave the hospital. Still others say you have to wait one month, or three months, or six months. And then others say it's OK as long as you limit it to 1-2 cups a day. My take on this is that it's not the worst thing you can do. Follow your plan from here on out just so, if asked, you can say you followed the plan - but don't worry about the slip up.

I thought the water thing would be really hard, but I got used to it pretty quickly. Taking vitamins hasn't been a big deal, either. It seems overwhelming at first, but after awhile I was on auto-pilot. I take a small handful with breakfast and another small handful in the late afternoon, then my iron before I go to bed. I'm a bypass patient, so you'll likely take fewer vitamins than I do since you're considering VSG. so those two fears are really not anything to be concerned about. The regain one is, though. Losing the weight isn't all that difficult as long as you follow your clinic's plan. It's the continual work it takes to keep the weight off. You really do have to monitor yourself for life - otherwise, if bad habits start creeping back in, your weight will start to go up again. I struggle with it every day - but, it's worth it to me. I never, ever want to be morbidly obese again. P.S. I should add that I was NEVER able to keep weight off for long before surgery. Now, it's a challenge, but do-able. I've managed to keep it off for six years. I have much better habits now, I exercise regularly, and my stomach can't hold as much. Eating over 2000 cal/day is painful for me now (and I rarely do it). Before surgery, 2000 kcal would have been a "diet" level for me.

dumping is pretty uncommon in sleeve patients, and that doesn't sound like it. A lot of people have trouble with eggs the first few months, so I'm guessing it's that. EDITED to add that I just read what you responded to someone else above. I'm not sure I agree with what your clinic told you, but then I'm not an expert...

I thought as long as it was below 6.0, you're good. Mine runs about the same as yours -just over 5.0. My lipids always been within the normal range, even before I had WLS (I'm 7.5 years out) P.S. I just looked at my lipid results. It says standard range is 60-129. Anything below 100 is optimal. Not sure if your PCP is using some different scale or...?? Otherwise, your 86 value is fine. I suppose there's always room for improvement, but I can't see why she would have an issue with that.

I don't ever remember having elevated white blood cells (well, unless I was sick. But not during routine bloodwork). I know that usually indicates some kind of infection - but I can see where stress might do that, too. Did your doctor say anything about your results? EDITED to add that I just googled it. It says obesity ...or stress...can also cause a high leucocyte count https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/17704-high-white-blood-cell-count#:~:text=Leukocytosis means you have a,fighting off infection or inflammation.

I was five months out at my first post-surgery Thanksgiving, so in a different place than you are. I had an ounce or two of turkey with gravy and a tablespoon or two of sweet potatoes and stuffing. I probably had some vegetables, too. I remember I brought a container of pumpkin-flavored Greek yogurt with me to eat while everyone else ate pumpkin pie. in the years since then, I've eaten what I want, just in small portions. At 7.5 years out, I try to eat sensibly at holiday meals and not make a pig of myself. *Usually* it works...

I had my "three-week stall" during weeks 2 and 3 - so yes, it could be it. If it goes on for more than two or three days, then yea - that's likely it. Just stick to your program and stay off the scale if it starts messing with your mind too much. It'll eventually break and you'll be on your way again...

It's been several years (I'm 7.5 years out), but I don't think mine got to the point where I couldn't keep fluids down, so I was probably able to take my pills. I went for a few days without being able to keep food down, so I called my clinic and they scheduled an upper endoscopy for me. If I'd have waited longer, at some point I wouldnt' have been able to keep fluids down, either..

the dietitian I did my six-month pre-op diet with had me eating 2000 calories/day and exercising at least 3x a week, I think (well, I'm sure on the calories - I can't remember how often she had me exercising). Between that and the all-liquid two-week diet my surgeon required, I lost 57 lbs (15-20 of that was from the two-week liquid diet)). But then I weighed over 300 lbs, so I would have lost weight on 2000 cal/day no matter what (I was probably eating 3000 calories before that in order to maintain that weight). It wasn't that hard to do. I think i would have struggled on 1200 calories, but then, it's likely I started out much heavier than you.

I agree with the above comment - sounds like it might be a stricture. If you were only not able to keep food down, then a call to your clinic to schedule a upper endoscopy would be fine - but since you can't even keep water down, I'd go to urgent care or the ER. People can live for awhile without food - but not fluids. I had two strictures - one at four weeks out and another at eight weeks out. Easy fix, and you'll feel better immediately if that's what it is. They almost always occur between 1-3 months out (that is, if you have one - happens to about 5% of bypass patients). They've very rare once you get over 3 months out. I know you're only three weeks out, but I think it's possible that is what's going on. I would definitely get it checked out.

actually, sleeve is the only surgery to watch out for if you have reflux. RNY usually improves if not cures it (although I know you are not considering RNY - I'm just saying this because others will read your post, so I'm directing this comment toward those "others". I don't want people to get confused. RNY is usually recommended for people who suffer from reflux).

lots of us take Miralax, stool softeners, or magnesium daily just to keep on top of it. I would only do an enema in an extreme situation - twice a week is a lot. I'd have a chat with your surgeon for sure.

I think some policies will cover revisions if there are medical reasons - and GERD would be a medical reason. You'll have to check with your insurance company, though, to see if it'll be covered.

as others have said, you'll be covered except for the areas they'll be working on (i.e., your upper torso), but even if they weren't, they're doctors. Doctors see naked people all day every day and don't think anything about it.

all surgeries have their pros and cons, so I know it's hard to decide. You brought up some good advantages and disadvantages of both. one other thing to possibly consider is that most doctors (not just bariatric surgeons) are familiar with both RNY and sleeve, but not with DS (and it's variations), since those aren't very common - if that makes a difference to you.

I agree - the OP doesn't sound like a native English speaker.

you may just be in a really long stall. Are you tracking your food intake? Are you following your plan to a "T"? If so, i'm guessing a stall for sure. If not, start tracking again. And like kcuster said, it might be helpful to contact your team if you're worried.

my clinic didn't restrict carbs, but I know a lot of people have trouble with things like rice and pasta. I can eat them now, but I remember for a long time they'd sit in my stomach like a brick.