

catwoman7
Gastric Bypass Patients-
Content Count
10,021 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
143
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Gallery
Blogs
Store
WLS Magazine
Podcasts
Everything posted by catwoman7
-
Diarrhea after drinking protein shake
catwoman7 replied to Mpalm's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
other sugar alcohols (in addition to malitol, which seems to be the worst offender) can cause those issues, too. Sugar alcohols all have names that end in -itol (for example, xylitol). So maybe it's some other type of sugar alcohol ? (as in not malitol - but one of the other ones??) -
I'm struggling losing weight
catwoman7 replied to Happy Stylist's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
stalls typically last 1-3 weeks, but it's not unheard of for them to last longer. Just stick to your plan and your weight loss will eventually start up again. Stay off the scale if it's messing with your head too much. -
yes - they should be fine regardless of when you take them. On a related issue, although the current iron form I take (carbonyl) doesn't upset my stomach, i started taking iron before bed because the original type I was taking DID bother my stomach - taking it before bed helped with that (and I still take my iron before bed - just out of habit at this point)). So I don't see a reason why you can't take a multi before bed.
-
To count or not to count (calories)
catwoman7 replied to lizonaplane's topic in General Weight Loss Surgery Discussions
it really depends on the person. The two dietitians at my clinic are really into "intuitive eating" and hate the fact that I count calories, but counting calories has worked for me and I'm not about to give it up. But some people do much better with things like intuitive eating. I say whatever works! -
if the Pepcid isn't doing the trick, let your clinic know. A lot of us are on PPI's (like omeprazole) the first 3-6 months after surgery.
-
Getting ready to have this surgery
catwoman7 replied to Laurie Rohrer's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
I know a lot of people who just have a protein shake for breakfast. Some people can't handle solid food first thing in the morning. The dietitian at my clinic said a protein shake is better than nothing! also, I was the same as you before I had surgery - the most I could ever lose was about 50 lbs, and even getting that much off was really tough - there were only a couple of times when I managed to do it. And then, of course, it came right back on. Surgery was the only thing that worked for me. That said, you do have to really work at it -- but if you stick to your program, you WILL lose weight... -
Getting ready to have this surgery
catwoman7 replied to Laurie Rohrer's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
30 lbs is actually on the high side (the exception rather than the rule, actually....) - most of us seem to lose somewhere in the 15-25 lb range the first month. I lost 16 lbs the first month, and I started at well over 300 lbs. -
I was able to eat salads again at some point, but I think it was later - maybe five or six months out.
-
you won't have to give up those foods forever. After a few months, you'll be able to eat them again - just in smaller portions and not as often. I can eat 1-2 pieces of pizza at one sitting now (as opposed to half a large pizza). TBH, that's about what many of my never-been-obese women friends eat (and yes - I've also eaten tater tots and cinnamon rolls. But I don't make it a regular thing...) also, no way in h*ll would I ever want to go back to where I was. If I have to be careful about what I eat the rest of my life, so be it. I am SO much happier now without that extra 200 lbs!!!!
-
How to stop losing weight and start maintenance
catwoman7 replied to Lela Clark's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
my loss eventually stopped on its own. Don't forget that most of us have a 10-20 lb rebound from our lowest weight, so I wouldn't panic too much if you go a few lbs below goal. -
zero. I'd do it again in a heartbeat, and should have done it years ago.
-
I was allowed ( and encouraged) to walk right away. At four weeks out, I was cleared to do everything except for weights. At eight weeks out, I was cleared to do weights (as in cleared by my clinic)
-
yes. Normal.
-
."I see so many things about weight loss and how some still lose way past a year and then some don’t" that largely depends on where you start. I don't know what your starting BMI or weight was, but I was almost 400 lbs. I lost down to 138 lbs at first (have put on some since then, which is very common) - so yea, I lost for almost two years. For people who only have 100 or so lbs to lose (or fewer), it might only take a year.
-
if it's been two years, it may not necessarily be related to your surgery. Maybe you have a bug? Or maybe something with some other organ in your G/I tract (like liver or pancreas)? Or maybe something like IBD? I'd check with a doctor - for peace of mind, if nothing else.
-
it could definitely be a stall - mine tended to be more frequent and lasted longer the closer i got to a normal BMI. Every time I'd think "well, i guess this is it...", and then the weight loss would start up again. if you're doesn't in another couple of weeks and you still want to lose more, about the only thing you can do is cut calories (or increase activity - or both).
-
How long after gastric sleeve are you at risk of getting Dumping Syndrome ?
catwoman7 replied to PM2022's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
dumping syndrome happens to about 30% of bypass patients. It can happen with sleeve patients, too, but it's much less common than it is in bypass patients. if you eat a lot of sugar or fat in one sitting and then start getting sweats, chills, heart palpitations, dizziness, and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting, and it goes on for hours, then you'll know you get dumping syndrome. But again, it's not that common in sleeve patients. -
I would guess the sugar. It does that to me sometimes as well.
-
Getting money back from surgery
catwoman7 replied to liveaboard15's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
they often charge insurance companies way more than they charge self-pays. My plastic surgery was self-pay. I originally got a statement that my surgery (which I'd already paid for) was like three times more than what i paid for it. When I called, they said it was just a statement and to ignore it since I'd already paid. I'm pretty sure that was the amount that would have been billed to the insurance company if insurance would have covered it. -
agree with summerseeker. Stick to your clinic's plan. It's there for a reason.
-
hunger returns for most people at some point during the first year. Mine came back at five months out. So yes - it's normal.
-
21 Months Out and Starting to Gain :-(
catwoman7 replied to LAJ23's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
a 10- to 20-lb weight gain after you hit your lowest weight is very common - usually in year 2 or 3. bruising - I don't think I've ever heard this and I've been hanging out here for seven years, so it may be unrelated to your surgery. I'd check with your PCP P.S. you can always lose weight by cutting calories, but if your body is most comfortable at 155, it'll be a challenge to lose weight and keep it off. It can be done, it'll just be a challenge if you have to fight your body to do it. also - brain fog and fatigue - I haven't heard that either, but I suppose it could be related to a deficiency. Hopefully they'll do bloodwork while you're there so they can see if your deficient in anything, Deficiencies are pretty rare if you keep on top of your supplements, though - and you're a sleeve patient, so they're rarer still. Hopefully your physical exam will uncover whatever it is that's going on. -
Is there a way to shrink in Liver in 1 week?
catwoman7 replied to zo30e28's topic in PRE-Operation Weight Loss Surgery Q&A
taking a laxative is not going to make any difference in your liver size. Plus, I'd give that habit up. That's part of "diet mentality" (and extreme diet mentality at that - that's more bulemic mentality), and we need to get beyond disordered habits like that. -
Feeling a bit discouraged…
catwoman7 replied to Capricorn moon's topic in Gastric Sleeve Surgery Forums
I lost 16 lbs the first month, and I started out at almost 400 lbs. unless you're the size of someone on "My 600 lb Life", you're not going to see enormous drops. Most of us "normal" WLS patients lose about 15-25 lbs the first month, and then maybe 10 lbs give or take a month for a few months after that (and it slows down more than further out you get). your weight loss is completely normal - you're doing fine! as for no desire to eat, also normal. It's very common to lose one's hunger and appetite for several months after surgery. Mine came back after five months, and honestly, I wish it never had. It was SO MUCH EASIER to lose weight when I was never hunger and didn't give a flip about food! P.S. of course, you will always find some "normal" WLS patients who lose more than 25 lbs the first month - but they're the exception. On top of that, you're starting out at a much lower weight than many of us. Starting BMI is one of the major factors in your rate of weight loss. The higher it is, the faster you're likely to lose. So don't worry - you are doing absolutely fine! -
yes - that's what they gave me after my plastic surgery (oral steroids - in my case, prednisone - you probably have the same. You take them for 10 days, if I remember correctly...).