lauren66

I am 1.5 yrs out from RNY and 160 lbs. down. I am 51 years old and feel like I have the energy of a 20 year old. Truly, I have never felt better in my life. With one exception - back pain which is due to excess skin. BariatricPal surgeon and plastic surgeon and Orthopedic doctor all agree that it is time for a lower body lift to remove the excess skin. I am wondering if anyone who had a RNY also had a lower body lift and, if so, can they share their experience with me. My surgery is scheduled for 1 week away from today.

The surgery went great. It’s a long one though - a little over 11 hours. The surgeon removed 15 lbs of skin and fat. Imagine that! The pain was tough the first few days in the hospital but they keep you well medicated. I spent 3 nights and 4 days at the hospital which felt right. Now I’m home resting for about two weeks. The only thing I can do movement wise is walk for about 10-15 minutes every other hour. The amazing thing is that even with the swelling from surgery I can already see and feel the difference. I can look straight down at a flat tummy and he contoured my out thighs which now look athletic. I have not had a flat mid section since I was 12 so that part is very encouraging. Moreover, I can already feel the new tightness in the muscles. In 6-8 weeks when I can resume exercise I will be stronger and that will make me happy. Once the bruising goes away I will post some more before and after pictures. If you are considering any skin removal surgery I am more than happy to discuss it with you.

Congrats on your weight loss! Thank you for the advice! I've got my compression garment - my surgeon recommends wearing it 8 weeks post surgery and for a few months there after while exercising. Appreciate the tip about the chair!

In my experience, being numbers as in pounds focused was unhelpful. Once I became focused on goals such as hiking a certain amount of miles, swimming a certain length of time, being able to buckle a seat belt on a plane without a lap extension and so on, the weight started falling off. I am 1.5 years out from RNY and have lost 160 lbs. My presurgery weight was 358. I’m still loosing weight, albeit much more slowly now but I am very fit. Fitness ability, energy level, quality of sleep and many other benefits of the weight loss are way more important to me now than how many actual pounds I lost. Set some goals for yourself that relate to activities or things other than lbs. or BMI and I think you will do great. Good luck!

I'm very glad to hear that. I suspect there are more challenges that lay ahead but for now we focus on healing and sticking to the plan. Btw, I had a typo - my surgery was 8/29...not today as I originally typed it. Keep up the good work! Lauren My New Life

My RNY was 9/29 and I experienced the exact same concerns. I even made an extra trip to the surgeon's office as I was convinced that he hadn't made my new stomach small enough or that something went wrong in the surgery. After much discussion, my fears were alleviated. Let me share with you what I learned. 1.) Until the nerve connections to your new stomach establish themselves you are not going to feel that full sensation 2.) while eating soft foods you may or may not ever feel that feeling but you certainly will when you switch to solids 3.) even though we may not be in pain (lucky us!), our bodies are still healing from a major operation. Take a look at some of the medical videos to remind yourself of all the complexities and give your body time to catch up to your mind. 4.) do not weigh yourself. I was getting on the scale all the time and it was depressing me - sometimes up and sometimes down. The medical staff told me to pay attention to the changes in my body and NOT the numbers on the scale. I did not believe them but figured I would give it a try. It worked. I can feel my body shifting. I feel the changes in the way tops and bottoms fit me - everything is looser now. Give this a try and you will not worry so much. Lauren My New Life

I tried all the flavor and prefer lemonade over some ice. Lauren My New Life

I had a similar experience. My last day on my period was the same as my surgery date. It was not a big deal at all. You can wear a pad. Just tell the nurses and they will take care of you. Don't worry about it one bit. I am a month out of surgery and got my period post just like clockwork. You'll do just fine. Lauren My New Life

I am freaking out and need smart advice. During the 2 week period (pre surgery and post surgery) I lost 22 lbs. I was thrilled when I weighed in at my 1 week post op checkup. I went from BUT I weighed myself at home few times in the 2 weeks since and I have gained weight. I feel so discouraged and upset. I am following the diet averaging 50g of Protein a day and 55 ounces of Water a day. The other day I realized that I am drinking to close to eating times and I have now adjusted to 15 minutes before and 30/40 after. Even with that, how could I GAIN weight?!?! My partner told me to stop weighing myself (which I have done) and have faith in the tool. I feel like the surgery did not work or that I am doing something wrong. My 3 week checkup is in 2 days and I am terrified to step on the scale. HELP!!!!!!! Lauren My New Life

Really appreciate everyone's help. Any advice on how to hit the hydration mark. Having problems making it over 55 per day. Lauren My New Life

Thank you for the advice. I will put more effort into increasing Protein and Water. Am about to get period so maybe that's also a factor. I do notice a difference in clothes and my measurements show that I have lost 19" overall. Thanks again for alleviating some of my concerns. Lauren My New Life

In the morning I mix isolated whey Protein into sugar free pudding. That's about 20-25 grams. For lunch I usually have Greek yogurt about 11 grams. Then I mix the Protein powder into hummus for about 10 grams for snack. For dinner I started having 2 oz of tuna fish for about 20 grams. Or sometimes I have egg beaters and refried Beans for dinner or even snack for a little more protein. Lauren My New Life