DeletedMember

Sorry, just need to vent a little. I'm generally a pretty positive guy,but my body seems determined to work against me. As background, I am 9+ months post-op and have lost 185lbs and currently weigh a little under 150. One of the many reasons I was motivated to do this was that my joints are a mess. I need both knees and one of my hips replaced. I knew there was a possibility of delaying some/all of the surgeries if I lost weight. And even if I couldn't delay them, the surgery itself as well as the recovery would be much easier at a healthy weight. Well, my knees actually feel quite a bit better, but I am having the hip replaced on the 23rd of this month. I've been going to the gym since mid-last summer, but primarily focusing on weight lifting with my upper body given the joint issues (I did complete the C25K program, just to get good conditioning and prove to myself I could do it, even with joint issues). Ok, to get to my point, a months or so ago I started having some pain in my shoulders (along with a ton of crunching and grinding which had been there since I started lifting). I thought it best to take a little time off to avoid an injury. Well, about 2 weeks ago I was cleaning out cupboards and when I reached up to get something something from the top shelf there was an awful debilitating pain that shot through my right shoulder. It has happened several times since when I forget and use that shoulder to reach for something. I am also experiencing similar, but less acute pin in my left shoulder. I went to my PCP and then to my orthopedic and they think I may have torn my rotator cuff (waiting to get in for an MRI). Meanwhile the pain continues to get worse and that pain is now causing me to have beck pain and SEVERE headaches that are interfering with day to day life and my ability to get a reasonable amount of sleep. It's so frustrating that at 43 years old my body feels like it's falling apart. Knees, hips, shoulders. Chronic pain sucks and I am feeling like there is no end to "fixing" me at this point. Just feeling a little sorry for myself. I know I'll shake it off and things will get better, but I could sure use a little break right about now. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I agree with what everyone is saying about not comparing yourself to others as it can be a recipe for disaster. However, I would also like to add that it was EXTREMELY helpful to me to see threads like this pre-op. Like many, I was anxious about the surgery, the results and what to expect. I definitely sought out these types of threads, and the more people that posted their results, the better, as I was looking to see a wide range of results to get a feel for what might happen. After reading dozens of these threads it seemed like most people lost around 10-25lbs a month. Men and people with higher BMIs generally lost the fastest, and the weight loss tapers off as the months go by. For me, it wasn't so much a comparison as it was an exercise in gaining perspective.

5'8" Starting Weight - 333 3 Months - 248lbs (85lbs lost) 6 Months - 196lbs (137lbs lost) 9 Months - 160lbs (173lbs lost) Today (almost 11 Months) - 147lbs (187lbs lost) *Disclaimer - I'm male. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I had RNY, but my experience was that I woke up in a LOT of pain, but it only lasted a few hours. The IV narcotics wasn't cutting it but once they added Tramadol the pain subsides and never came back. By that evening the pain was well under control. It sucked, but only for a short time. So worth it in the end.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/12/27/health/bariatric-surgery.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share&referer=&pagewanted=all Pretty good article that describes what a lot of us have gone through. I do think they are a little light on some of the downsides (weight regain, cross addiction, etc) but one of the more comprehensive mainstream articles I've seen.

Seriously, you guys need to try it - it was one of those meals where I was sitting at the table alone talking to myself with every bite saying "holy crap, this is amazing!!"

I try and stay away from processed food as much as possible, and Protein bars are heavily processed. That being said, I do use them on occasion when I'm in a pinch because they are still a whole lot better than a lot of other options! I have struggled finding one that taste decent and don't upset my stomach (a lot of them just make me feel crappy!). For me, the best ones I've found so far are the NuGo Slim bars. They have no artificial sweeteners (no sugar alcohols) and only 3g of sugar. The 3g of sugar is due to the fact that they are covered in real dark chocolate. They are not terribly sweet, but taste ok, and don't upset my stomach. You can generally find them at Whole Foods, or online of course: If you're interested: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0098IYDQW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I agree with @@Babbs (as I often do!), hunger is variable. I find somedays I have very little hunger and 3 small meals will do it. Other days I find myself hungry every few hours. The key, for me, is to make sure what I'm eating is healthy. I will almost ALWAYS eat fruits or vegetables between meals if I'm hungry. If you find you're hungry, but fruits and vegetables (or whatever is an on-plan snack for you) don't sound good, you aren't really hungry. When this happens to me, I go for a walk or find something to do to take my mind off of it.

And my favorite part of this thread is that it has drawn comments/discussion from some of my favorite posters on this site!!

I was very surprised to read they were swinging by White Castle and eating turkey sandwiches (I assume with the bread) so quickly after surgery. Could be indicative of them not losing as much as they hoped? Not judging them, just curious how close they followed their plans. The article sort of implied you could never get thin from having this surgery, and as a lot of people on this site can attest to, this is not necessarily true.

Great response, although I would just say that you might surprise yourself about being thin. And I say this from a personal perspective. I, also, said/thought I would never be thin. I was always fat with the exception of a few years where I wrestled/played football as a kid. When I started out, I was 333 at 5'8" and just the thought of being around 200 seemed impossible. I am 9+ months out from surgery and about 11 months out from starting the weight loss process. I am now 148lbs and thin by any objective measure. I'm not saying you will be thin, that you even desire to be thin, or that you should aspire to be thin. Just saying that this surgery is really amazing thing that may surprise you in a lot of ways. I'm not special. I got thin just by following my plan and doing what I was supposed to.

Yes, this is one course of treatment that is on the table. Until I am able to get in for an MRI (Jan 10th) and they see the extent of damage, Im just in waiting mode.... I've had varying luck with cortisone. In my knees it has almost no effect, but in my hip it has been nothing short of a miracle to help me keep my sanity! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

This was one of my main motivations for surgery. My orthopedic surgeon very kindly say me down and told me that if I didn't lose weight I would be disabled. And it wouldnt be a matter of decades, but a matter of a few years before I was wheelchair bound. That, and knowing there were many more unseen, life threatening side effects to being morbidly obese pushed me to get a referral to a Bariatric surgeon. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I'll have to explore this option. Sleeping is what seems to aggravate my headaches the most. Been struggling to get a comfortable position with my head/neck in bed. Thanks!

Thanks for the sympathy and well wishes everyone. My crushing headache I've had for the last 2 days has subsided somewhat, so I'm already in a better place! I like the "warranty runs out at 40". My knee warranty was much shorter (had my first ACL reconstruction at 15, second one at 20 and needed knee replacements by my 30s), but you're right! My hip and should issues all started after 40 and I'm only 43!!! LOL. As one of my friends said recently "well, the good news is you don't have many more joints to go bad!" There's the silver lining I suppose!

@@catwoman7 and I must have hit post at almost the exact same time, and said almost exactly the same thing! Ha.

Not sure of your sources, but I believe 5lbs a week is on the extremely fast end of weight loss. 15lbs a week will never be sustainable. People may have a single week where they lose 15 (MAYBE!?!), but no one is losing 60+lbs a months on average. From what I have seen on these forums, people tend to lose 10-20lbs a month the first few months, then it slows. Starting weight/BMI, gender and genetics have a lot to do with it, and it sounds like you are losing very fast. Follow you plan and you will continue to lose weight - hit your Protein and Water targets. Many people use shakes for months or years, but check with your doc/NUT for your plan. Yes, some foods will go down better than others - you will most likely experience this for months or years. Not only that, but things that are fine one day will probably not be another day - and this is all very personal. Some people struggle with eggs, some with fish, some with beef, others have no issues at all. It's a continual learning process. Dumping syndrome only affect somewhere around 30% of bypass patients from my recollection (if it's not 30%, it is definitely a minority). For many of those individuals, it lessens or goes away over time. For some it never goes away. I've never read anything that says Probiotics lessen the effects of dumping syndrome. However, if you are following your plan, and avoiding sugar, you should not be dumping as sugar is the main culprit (meals high and fat I believe can also cause it in some people).

I wouldn't worry about that small gain, more than likely it's a normal fluctuation. It could be as simple as the fact that when you went "off plan" you consumed a higher than normal amount of sodium and you are seeing Water weight. Or any other normal biological fluctuation. Your "new norm" should be fine as long as you are eating the right foods. And a occasional (and I mean occasional) treat shouldn't have massive impacts. Also, down the road you will be shooting to maintain weight, not gain weight. So you will have a bigger calorie window. Honestly, right now at 9 months post-op I'm struggling a little to figure out maintenance, but my issue is stopping losing weight. I'll do well, only 1-2 lbs lost over 4-6 weeks, then I'll drop several lbs. I am not underweight, so I'm not overly concerned. And I assume I will look back longingly at this period in the future and wish I was still having an issue stopping losing!!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I relied on the Isopure RTDs after surgery as the regular Protein drinks were just too thick and sweet for me. A lot of people don't like them, and truth be told, they smell awful. But I found them better than the shakes until I could get my protein from food/homemade shakes. I also hated Protein powder. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

This is just not true. If your doctor tells you to avoid caffeine and that coffee doesn't count towards Fluid intake, then you should follow your doctors orders. However, it should not be posted as a fact, especially when it is inaccurate. "While caffeinated drinks may have a mild diuretic effect — meaning that they may cause the need to urinate — they don't appear to increase the risk of dehydration." http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/caffeinated-drinks/faq-20057965 "coffee ... provides similar hydrating qualities to water." http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2014/01/13/262175623/coffee-myth-busting-cup-of-joe-may-help-hydration-and-memory Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

My doctor allows me to count coffee and tea towards my Fluid intake. From what I've learned coffee is a very mild diuretic and when consumed regularly has almost no diuretic effect at all so it is still quite hydrating. Standard disclaimer: Follow your doctor's plan. If they say you can't count coffee/tea then you probably shouldn't!! Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

You can definitely do it. I am. I am not a vegetarian, but I generally only eat meat/chicken/fish once a day and about 2-3 oz at most. I have a non-meat source twice a day. It would be quite easy to swap out that last meal and still hit my Protein goals. In fact, every 6 weeks when I travel, I generally do not eat any meat during that week (for simplicity) and it works out well. I eat a lot of Soups - split pea, bean and lentils based. I make big batches and freeze then for lunch. This is all part of my surgeons plan. He asks his patients to eat at least one non-animal protein meal a day. I have also found I've lost quite quickly (disclaimer: I'm male). I'm down 185 lbs in 10 months. And I've been in maintenance for the last 6 weeks or so. From 333 to 148. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I also don't like most Protein bars (and also consider them pretty crappy food - for emergency use only). That being said I have found that NuGo Slim bars aren't bad. They have 3g of sugar (that's from the fact they are coated in actual dark chocolate) and no artificial sweeteners. They also do not have that "clay" texture, and they cause me no intentional distress as some of the others do. Not great. Not a health food. But not the worst option in a pinch. You can find them at Whole Foods, Plum Market (if you have those) or order them online. They aren't ridiculously expensive either. About $20 for a box of 12. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I was cleared after 3 months. I had a couple of drinks around 4 months and felt very sick. Didn't drink again until about 7+ months. Now I can have a glass or two of wine without a problem. Although I generally only do that once every week or two. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

Here is a pretty good fried rice recipe: http://damndelicious.net/2016/03/30/10-minute-healthy-cauliflower-rice/