BettyG

If you are hungry, eat. Your stomach was reduced, which reduced the amount of hunger hormone that your stomach produces. So TRUST your new hunger. Eating only 500 to 600 calories a day if you are hungry for more is *counterproductive* to weight loss. Remember, it is work for your body to break down fat cells, process the energy inside them, and dispose of the waste and deal with the hormones stored inside of those fat cells. You must equip your body for this work with sufficient calories and nutrition. Eating such low calories and ignoring hunger risks pushing your body into starvation mode where it will slow your metabolism and cling to fat stores. Instead, eat healthy, respect your hunger, make nutritious food choices, and engage in gentle exercise. Excessive stress is the enemy of weight loss. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Unfortunately I couldn't take in any protein at all for three months and now am still battling to hit the protein markers. I had two punch biopsies and I appear to have completely dead or missing follicles in some areas but the Dermatologist is hopeful for regrowth in areas where follicles still exist. She prescribed the minoxidil and The Belgravia Hair clinic uses the lasercomb in combination with it. The other supplements may or may not help but my nutritionist said a placebo effect might be positive. I have alot of malnutritional deficiencies so I am prepared for the baldness. The haircut did help though because I now don't have handfuls coming out in my hands due to the length. Several of my real life bariatric friends recommended the cut and they were right. Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App Im sorry to hear about your difficulties. It does sound like have other causes for hair loss beyond just the surgery. I still believe that for most who just get some hair falling out a few months after surgery, the cause is usually telogen effluvium and that hair will return and that there is no cause for great alarm if they understand what is happening... Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I'm still such a noob to this site that I can't figure out how to post a link to another thread. :-(. But about hair loss, I wrote a thread called: Post-Surgery Hair Loss Explained If you search you can probably find it. Hair loss after major surgery is normal, temporary, and your dermatologist calls it "telogen effluvium." You don't need biotin, just keep your protein up and it will grow back. :-) And remember: the fact that it is falling out in handfuls a few months after surgery means that new hair is growing in the follicle. New hair is what causes the old hair to come out. The day the large chunk of your hair went into "rest" was the day of your surgery -- no biotin now will affect what happened that day. I've been through post-surgery (and major illness) hair loss three times so far now and it has always grown back just fine. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I just used my instant pot last night for the first time. I made a lamb stew! LOL. I can post a picture as soon as I figure out how to post pictures.... Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Great reminder about the importance of fiber! It is being called a "pre-biotic" and should be used along with pro-biotics. I had GI issues for many years due to frequent antibiotics. Probiotics and Fiber helped heal my gut. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

My insurance does require 6-months of medically-supervised weight loss, but I had the same worry -- that I would lose too much and disqualify myself. My nutritionist assured me that if I got close to that, she would put me on a maintenance diet. Do you have access to a nutritionist? They can help you maintain your weight without eating crap. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

There is a lot of misunderstanding about telogen effluvium (post-surgery hair loss), so I thought I would post about it. Even bariatric clinics sometimes don’t understand or explain this condition adequately. “It is normal to lose up to about 100 hairs a day on one's comb, brush, in the sink or on the pillow. This is the result of the normal hair growth cycle. Hairs will grow for a few years, then rest for a few months, shed, and regrow. Telogen is the name for the resting stage of the hair growth cycle. A telogen effluvium is when some stress causes hair roots to be pushed prematurely into the resting state.” ”If there is some ‘shock to the system,’ as many as 70% of the scalp hairs are then shed in large numbers about 2 months after the ‘shock.’ This sudden increase in hair loss, usually described as the hair coming out in handfuls, is acute telogen effluvium.” “Among the common causes are high fevers, childbirth, severe infections, severe chronic illness, severe psychological stress, major surgery or illnesses, over or under active thyroid gland, crash diets with inadequate Protein, and a variety of medications.” [Quotes from “Biotin and someone else didn’t doesn’t necessary have anything to do with respective amounts of hair loss. Which leads to… 3. You don’t need to do anything other than get enough protein. “No treatment is needed for most cases of telogen effluvium. Remember that the hairs fall out when a new hair growing beneath it pushes it out. Thus with this type of hair loss, hair falling out is a sign of hair regrowth” [Telogen Effluvium Hair Loss]. You don’t need to take biotin. However, failing to meet your prescribed protein goals can also trigger this condition (see quote above about causes: “crash diets with inadequate protein”). 4. You can’t prevent it. Even if you get adequate protein, major surgery is still a shock to your body. Almost everyone who has bariatric surgery gets some degree of telogen effluvium afterwards. Someone who has lower surgery stress and thick and/or short hair might not even notice telogen effluvium. As someone who has been through this several times, I can reassure everyone worried about it that the effects are temporary and don’t do any long-term damage! Cheers

I just wanted to add that I did a better job vetting my surgeon for my next two surgeries, both of which went quite well. Both surgeons were very supportive and professional. And now when I decided to do bariatric surgery, my first step was to research bariatric centers and bariatric surgeons. I was leaning towards the clinic/surgeon that are a part of the regional healthcare system that I have used for all of my primary doctor and specialists for the last 6 years. BUT.... I wasn't impressed with the surgeon. He had a bad review on this site. And he was only board certified in general surgery. So I chose a clinic/surgeon in a whole different regional healthcare system -- which meant some of my records had to be transferred over. Well worth it. Both surgeons are board certified in not only general surgery but also bariatric surgery. And they both have done a fellowship in bariatric surgery which is very unique! I met with the surgeon who will do my gastric bypass and I was immediately impressed by her skill, professionalism, and compassion. She listened to me and treated me with respect. I was delighted to find out that she is the only female bariatric surgeon in my state who has done a fellowship in bariatric surgery. I'm convinced I've found the best option for me -- the staff of the bariatric center are wonderful! Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

By the way, I see malabsorption as a benefit, not a drawback. It means that part of the calories you consume don't get absorbed. Imagine that - free calories! I get to taste and chew and swallow but escape some of the calorie consequences! Sounds like a dream come true to me. Well worth taking Vitamins every day. Also, what is "history of TIAs"? Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Amen! I'm having my hiatal hernia repaired too, so my answer is same as yours Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

By the way, malabsorption only applies if you are having a gastric bypass. Not an issue with the sleeve. What type of surgery are you getting? Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

According to the research I did, malabsorption is greatest the first 6 months after surgery. It usually tapers off quite a bit after the first year for sure. Your body adapts eventually. Its still important to keep up with certain Vitamins though. I take vitamins every day anyway so no change in routine for me there. From what I gather, constipation can be an ongoing challenge. I'm just on my 6 months of pre-surgery weight loss but I've already incorporated a couple prunes or ounce or two of prune juice into my Breakfast routine. Staying on top of constipation doesn't sound like fun, but will be SO worth it to not be sick and morbidly obese anymore. I want to live a long and happy life. :-) Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

My husband wears boxer briefs too. They are like regular "tightie whities" but with legs. So they hug a bit, don't get twisted around, stay in place, etc. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

You will be taking Calcium every day, so your bones will get what they need. The best way to keep your bones healthy as you age is doing strength-training exercise. Which is much easier to do at a normal weight than when obese. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

It's true that you will have to always take Vitamins and keep a close eye on your nutrition, but that is true for anyone. Many obese people today are actually malnourished and deficient in many vitamins because the kinds of foods that are easy to overeat and that lead to obesity are "empty calories" -- high processed and full of fat and sugar and chemicals. Gastric bypass has been around for a long time (30+ maybe 40 years?) so there are many long-term studies. It has proven to be very safe over the long term. I am in my 40s also and I'm getting a RNY bypass and I wondered the same as you: will this keep me healthy for the next 40+ years? I Googled "oldest gastric bypass patient" and found a post on a forum somewhere of a gal who is 79 now I believe and doing great. She believed she was the oldest bypass patient still alive. Her post reassured me a lot. Also, if I don't get weight loss surgery, I doubt I will live more than another 20 years.... so there's that. (Like you, I have numerous health problems. All my relatives who were obese died in their 50-60s, the skinny ones all lived to 90+. Just saw my grandfather at Thanksgiving who will be 96 in January). Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App