Jill_Me

I have had a great time on dates. The hardest thing is not drinking. I had 3 beers one night and blacked out (true story)! Any man who cares about your rolls or cellulite or tummy apron hanging doesn't deserve you. Sex-wise they really don't care. Emotional intimacy wise or just as a companion I have told everyone about it because I'm still in the midst of this massive change -- a transitioning period. I've had the best experience with people who don't mind talking freely about things. I went on Bumble and on OkCupid and the volume of men wanting to talk to me was overwhelming. I felt like The Bachelorette with dates 3-4 nights per week and meeting lots of new people. I kissed a few frogs and I'm pretty over it now.

I hope you're feeling better now. I was looking for threads in the forum on this subject because I've lost almost 100 lbs and I feel like I'm going crazy. Maybe it's hormones. A few weeks ago I felt like I wanted to have sex with anyone and everyone and a week later felt like I didn't want to be around anyone. A few days later reflecting on this rapid change in emotions and moods I got extremely weepy and became dehydrated from crying so much. I felt like I was absolutely crazy and luckily my friend talked me down. I was weepy and also beating up on myself and feeling helpless for my future as a sane person. My therapist wants me to talk to the surgeon's nurse about hormonal changes and see if maybe I need a referral to someone for treatment of the hormonal effects. I literally have no idea what's going to happen to make me either mad or very sad and crying on any given day. Lord help me!

I'm 9 months postop and recently had 2 episodes of what I think may be gas pain ... the discomfort is in the suprapubic area and is absolutely f&@#% bananas. I was literally rolling on the floor. It went away after 30-40 min ... I even pooped and passed gas during the episode without relief of the cramping feeling. What did I eat? Both times I had drank a gose beer (fancy type of sour beer with low alcohol content) and eaten a KIND bar. I won't be consuming that combination again. Anyone else almost go to the ER with his maddening type of pain? It is so odd, because the pain is unlike anything prior to surgery -- given that things were moved around in there. Any body with a quick fix to share is appreciated.

Dulcolax is your friend -- I pooped on postop day 1! Lol

Your answer comes from your surgeon. I was surprised to find out no earlier than the preop dietary class/group that we only needed to follow 1 day of clear liquids after 1 day of full liquids and 5 days of a liver shrinkage diet before that.

Hooray! It's an amazing feeling.

I follow hospital stays for members of a large insurance company and have seen some nightmare complications of WL surgeries in various locations. Sometimes reading the questions that people ask in message boards is concerning for a naive and/or ethically irresponsible weight loss surgery clinic/program. There is a large body of basic information every patient should know, and it's not easy to run this kind of program. Some places have so much room for improvement. Many insurance companies require heavy vetting of outcomes statistics for providers and provider groups leading to a potential required certification agreement to be in-network. I cannot stress enough how important it is that you research and stay in network if you have an insurance company smart enough to take such precautions on their and your behalf. I'm saddened by this story. I wish that the ACLU or some other patient advocacy/legal organization could successfully put together the case for a federal mandate on standards, operations, and reporting in bariatric surgery practice. Sending my version of prayer to your brother-in-law and the family.

I'm 6 months postop RNY and I no longer get itching and hives in/around my mouth from eating apples or pears. Has anyone else noticed this kind of mysterious change to your body's response to certain foods?

I'm surprised that nobody has responded to this post. All I can do is tell you that as a registered nurse and gastric bypass patient I've been very happy with the program at Duke University, specifically Dr. Chan Park and his staff. I had been told by some colleagues that the preop and postop program of care is impressive. Based on what I have heard from others in discussion about the presurgery experience, Duke Center for Metabolic and Weight Loss Surgery is likely to involve a more comprehensive and sometimes complicated process of assessment and training. I'm very happy with the results but wasn't totally thrilled while I was waiting to be approved for surgery. They did the right thing for me by forcing me to challenge myself prior to the surgery. Be wary of a surgeon that rushes you into surgery if there's a a big psychological reason underlying your disordered eating and/or self-care deficit (I said "if" -- not everyone is as hot a mess as I was/am still-sorta). People do travel from afar to have their surgery with Duke, I've noticed. It was out of the way for me but still no farther than my old work commute.

If it is fat, then something is VERY wrong. I'd get it looked at asap.

Congrats on your success!! Surgery was 12/8 for me. I had a month where I sat within a 5 lb range, right above a major milestone that I wanted to hit. I just stayed patient. Being able to move more is my favorite part. My least favorite is the skin already hanging, but it's not a horrible tradeoff.

Hope you're doing better now Justagirl45.

Feeling sick as hell after eating should help you remember to chew slowly. That's what did it for me. Also with the not drinking until after 30 min.

I say this with utmost respect for nicotine addiction. I smoked for 15 years and tried to quit multiple times. You never smoke again after weight loss surgery because the risk to your new stomach is terrifying. Don't be an idiot and ever smoke again. Just don't.

I make a big pot of beef chili (with 90% lean grass fed beef, pinto beans, tomatoes, and McCormick seasoning packet) every week and store in 4oz portions with some room left. I eat this chili almost every day with about 3tbsp of Greek yogurt and Sargento reduced fat cheese melted in it. I got the cutest little miniature Dutch oven from home goods and I use that to heat up the chili on the stove. I mentioned tilapia in another post. I was told to choose salmon instead, but the dryness of salmon makes it less tolerable and desirable to eat for me. I like how soft tilapia is and for now that's what I'll eat. I don't like most things, so if I like it I'm sticking to it for now. I don't enjoy any meat except for the ground beef in the chili. I'm also having genoa salami with provolone cheese snacks which I found at Costco and little cheese cubes with nuts and a few grapes as snack. I just added baked ricotta into the routine as well -- I'd never had it before the other day.

I also hoarded a bunch of clothes and am enjoying wearing them again. I even had a great pair of adidas track pants that I bought and they were too small -- I was never able to wear them before and now I'm rocking them. Booya!

Ask the dr for Miralax. I'm a nurse so the infrequent bowel movements stuck out for me first. Haha! Seriously though, you've got to poop more often. I use 4 ounce glass jars (from Walmart, Ball brand) to store the food I eat -- chili almost every day with Greek yogurt (instead of sour cream) and reduced fat cheese melted in it. I only get about 800 calories a day and I'm told that's not enough too, but I'm not working out very much so I'm not burning so much. Even tho it is hard I make myself eat *something* or drink part of a protein shake every 2.5 hours. And I'm told that upping fluid intake can help get you off a weight loss plateau. I'm sorry you're feeling so overwhelmed. I also had my surgery in December. Believe me if you follow the nutritionist recommendations and get more frequent pewps you should be feeling much better and see the right weight loss rate for your body. The weight loss isn't as fast or when you're under 200 ... I'm *almost* under 200 and things have significantly slowed. You've got this.

Ps Congrats on your surgery!

I know that feeling. I don't think fluids can do that. It may just be gas -- try Gas-X? If it persists and you're super concerned call the surgeon's nurse.

It's so hard, I know. I feel like I need to lie down after most meals. My nutritionist recommended taking a forkful or spoonful and then placing the utensil down until done chewing. Or every bite if not using utensils. Chew until applesauce consistency (can be gross at times) and wait a few seconds after last swallow to take another bite. Also do not drink anything for 15 min (nutritionist said 30min) before or after which is SUPER hard because I always drank and ate together. It's huge tho for pain after eating. Just don't drink. I just tell my phone to alarm in 15 min after I'm done eating, then I can drink.

If you didn't have the therapist set up I'd say that. I go every week and it's the best thing for me. Talking with a trusted friend and keeping in touch sometimes with a few buddies who have had WLS is everything too. This message board as a support group. You're not alone. You're going to do very well and feel great soon enough. It seems like every day is a learning experience -- finding what works and what doesn't, feeling emotions and finding the ways to cope. Used to be I'd just hit up [insert name of fast food or takeout joint here] and eat my feelings. I'm so glad that I can't do that anymore.

Well the concern is more about osteoporosis. The surgeons at Duke keep up with the most innovative treatment practices available and this seems to be the latest on use of PPIs and bone loss. If you want to research the concerns and request to stop the drug after 3 months that could be an option? Your surgeon could easily find this info for him or her self. I was really worried because I have been VERY dependent on PPIs for years prior to surgery, but I'm doing just fine without any now. I definitely wouldn't be worried enough to not have the surgery by a long shot. Good luck!

I was just told by my surgeon's nurse that they have a new policy for post surgical use of PPIs (proton pump inhibitors or what people may call antacids). Studies have shown that prolonged use of PPIs like omeprazole and pantoprazole can cause bone loss. So now instead of taking a PPI for one year post surgery we are to wean off the drug at 3 months postop. I'm trying to wean right now.

This is too weird. Nobody even remotely should think of eating broccoli and cheese soup at 3 days postop. Seems fake, like this person is just trying to get attention. I've seen this kind of thing on a Facebook group I used to follow and the moderators would need to come in and stop comments (bc everyone would comment, either trying to help or bewilderment).

Oh no! How are you now, Alexis99?