catwoman7

VSG is actually stage one of the DS. Years ago many surgeons did the DS in two stages (first, the sleeved stomach, then a few months later, the bypassed small intestine). Some patients did really well just with stage 1, so they started offering the sleeved stomach as a standalone surgery. Ta da! The VSG was born! so yes - lots of DS'ers had their DS done in two stages (esp those who had it done several years ago), and there are definitely people who've revised from VSG to DS. It's a more straightforward surgery than going from VSG to RNY, since you're already halfway to the DS when you have a VSG.

that's pretty average. That's about what I lost, and we started out around the same weight. I don't know of too many people who've lost more than that at that juncture - a few lucky ones, and those who started out MUCH heavier than us. But otherwise, no. That's a pretty normal loss for three months out.

I agree with Arabesque - my first thought was lactose intolerance - or maybe an intolerance to an artificial sweetener. Neither is uncommon....

after the first month, a lot of us lose about 10 lbs a month, give or take----and then as you get further out, it drops to around 5 lbs a month (and after the first year, mine dropped to a pokey 2 lbs +/- until my weight loss finally stopped at 20 months out). So it may be a stretch to hope for a 19 lb drop at five months out (not that it's impossible - but not likely). Regardless, looks like you're doing pretty well so far!

I do Leslie Sansone sometimes. I also really like Reps to the Rhythm.

you're lucky. My pre-op diet was two weeks of no-cal (or ultra-low-cal) liquids, SF popsicles, SF Jello, and 4-5 protein shakes a day. It was dreadful.

I get that sometimes from medications. PPIs are known for that, for one - are you taking one of those? Like omeprazole? Things like Biotene spray, gel, and toothpaste can help - or SF gum or candy that's made with xylitol.

there are people who've lost quite a bit of weight after WLS even without exercise (for similar reasons as yours). Exercise is great for your overall health and people should do it if they can, but as far as weight loss, 90% of that is diet.

it does go by fast. Spend time online on this and other bariatric forums, reading everything you can. I did this to pass the time, and by the time my surgery rolled around, I felt I was very prepared for it...

re: marriages - some get better, some don't. And some stay the same. I think it might depend somewhat on how it was going BEFORE the surgery. Mine got better. My husband was always really active and always on the go, and I rarely had the energy to keep up with him when I weighed over 300 lbs. And some things he liked to do I just flat out couldn't do at that weight (like biking, hiking, and kayaking). Now...I can! And I have no trouble keeping up with him! So now we're able to do a lot together. I think we're both happier for it. he was fine with my post-surgery eating since he knew it was a means to an end. I can eat more-or-less normally now (except my portions are much smaller), and have been able to since I was about a year out.

I think SIPS is a modified version of the DS (duodenal switch). I've heard of it but don't know anyone who's had it. IIRC, the traditional DS has a double anastomosis rather than a single (the SIPS has a single)

12 lbs in three weeks at your starting weight is normal. Unless someone is the size of the people on "My 600 lb Life", they usually lose somewhere in the 15-25 lb range that first month post-surgery. Yes - you'll sometimes find people who lose more or less than that range, but they're outliers. I lost 16 lbs the first month post-op (not sure where I was at the three week mark since it's been over seven years, but I was probably exactly where you are - about 12 lbs down), and I ended up losing 100% of my excess weight - over 200 lbs. if you stick to your program, you WILL lose the weight, whether fast or slow. In the end, your level of commitment to your program is what determines your success, not your rate of weight loss.

bananas and any really high-fat meal. I used to love going to Friday night fish fries before surgery - can't handle those anymore. Way too much grease.

^^ that could be true. I know it's true for liver enzymes - it's pretty common for them to become pretty elevated that first year, because rapid weight loss is hard on livers. They eventually normalize, though.

it seems like most of us use with baritastic or MyFitnessPal....so I'd check those two out for sure.

I did once or twice in the hospital - can't remember if it was after eating or not. I was told not to worry about it - it was just blood from the surgery - but again, I was still in the hospital when that happened, so at most it would have been within the first 24 hours post-op. In your case, I'd let your clinic know. I'm not sure if it's anything to worry about or not, but they'd know.

I found out I had borderline sleep apnea when I had a sleep study before surgery. I opted not to get a CPAP when the PA at my clinic said it'd likely be gone after I lost 20 or 30 lbs. He was right - it was gone. I can't speak for those with more severe apnea, but I know it does improve or goes away for many of us.

I didn't have problems with actual sleeping - but getting in and out of bed could be challenging, and also, it was about three weeks before I could sleep on my side (my preferred position).

they say that fewer than 5% of obese people are successful in keeping off lost weight. I, unfortunately, was not one of those people. I spent decades losing weight, only to gain it all back. Surgery was the only thing that allowed me to lose my excess weight (I lost over 200 lbs) and keep most of it off. no one can tell you whether or not you can do this on your own - but I agree with the others. A pre-op style diet is not sustainable long term. I would do this surgery again in a heartbeat. The first few weeks can be trying, but I have zero regrets (other than I should have done it years ago). It was the best decision I ever made.

I don't think I ate eggs quite that quickly, but plans vary. Make sure it's OK with your clinic that said, just know that a lot of people have trouble with eggs the first few months after surgery (I didn't, but I know many of us do)

bright red is less worrisome than dark red. It usually indicates a hemorrhoid or an anal fissure...both of which are more of a nuisance than anything dangerous. They're often caused by straining to defecate. But I'd let your clinic or PCP know regardless, just in case. If nothing else, for peace of mind. P.S. I don't remember if I had this after surgery, but I've had it in the past. It was from hemorrhoids.

I took three weeks off but could have gone back after two. I felt fine, just tired. Re: FMLA - it was several years ago so I don't remember exactly, but I don't think I bothered with FMLA. I had a lot of sick leave built up, so I just used that.

some surgeons have you crush pills, but fortunately, mine was OK with me swallowing small pills right away (anything the size of a pencil eraser or smaller). I had to wait two or three weeks to manage bigger pills. One of them they said I could hold off on for a couple of weeks, so I did. The other I cut in half (I bought a pill cutter at a pharmacy), so I was able to take it (although not all pills can be cut in half - well, *physically* they can be, but you're not supposed to do it). Just check with your clinic and see what they suggest

I haven't read about this situation before, so it's definitely not common. I hope they can figure out what it is - I'm sure you're miserable!!

not sure where you live, but lapband is rarely done in the US anymore - it's largely been replaced by the sleeve (VSG) as the non-RNY option.