Introversion

I'm three years out...I lost 15 pounds the first month and 12.5 pounds the second month. Thereafter, all of my losses were single-digit (1 to 7 pounds monthly). I was a slower loser and it took me nearly 18 months to lose 100 pounds. The speed and rate of your weight loss doesn't matter nearly as much as your ability to keep it off for life. I'm dancing on a cloud because this is the first time in my live I've been able to maintain any type of weight loss. Weight loss doesn't matter as much as weight maintenance. Society focuses too much on shedding pounds as quickly as possible when 95+ percent end up regaining. Weight maintenance is the key. Good luck to you.

I was insured by BC/BS of Texas at the time I was sleeved 3 years ago.

Your surgeon or pre-op handlers would, in all likelihood, inform you of any abnormal findings. The pre-op testing usually consists of a complete blood cell count to ensure you are not anemic or that your white blood cell count is not unusually elevated. A comprehensive metabolic panel is also drawn to ensure your potassium levels aren't abnormally high or low since this could cause cardiac issues on the operating table. The CMP also provides an indirect snapshot of liver/kidney function. My pre-op testing also included a nutritional panel. It revealed I had moderate deficiencies in vitamins A and D.

Yes, it is as common as a full moon. Look up the "three week stall" or "third week stall." This infamous stall happens to many bariatric surgery patients sometime between the second and fourth postoperative weeks. It usually occurs around week 3; hence, it is called the "three week stall."

My insurance company had the same requirement, but I was unable to fulfill it since I had not visited any doctors offices or clinics in the three preceding years (I was uninsured from 2010 to 2014). I provided self-reported weights to fill in the gaps and this sufficed enough for the insurance company to approve payment for the sleeve.

We should also be cognizant that a low-carb diet doesn't necessarily mean the protein content is high. Many clinicians have been able to put type 2 diabetes into remission by prescribing low-carb high-fat (LCHF) diets. For instance, the nephrologist I referenced in my previous post doesn't believe in high-protein diets because protein stimulates insulin production in addition to placing potential strain on the kidneys. http://foodmed.net/2016/07/cure-diabetes-jason-fung-2-steps-lchf/

It sounds as if the nurse at the bariatric clinic subscribes to the dogma from the American Diabetes Association...you know, the same guidelines that have partially contributed to increasing numbers of sicker diabetics over the past few decades in America. http://www.diabetes.org/mfa-recipes/about-our-meal-plans.html The ADA recommends a low-fat, moderate carbohydrate, low sodium diet. Per the ADA, carbs should be spread out throughout the day and be 45% of a diabetic's diet. Of course, more progressive clinicians such as Dr. Jason Fung have put type 2 diabetes into remission by advising formerly diabetic patients to greatly curtail carb intake while increasing dietary fat. https://idmprogram.com/treatments-that-cure-type-2-diabetes-t2d5/ You see, fat does not precipitate an insulin response within the body, while carbs do. Insulin drives fat storage. The less carbs you eat, the lower your insulin levels.

My starting weight was 225 pounds. I'm 5'1", so that placed me at a 42 BMI. After one week on the pre-op diet I weighed in at 218 on surgery day. I got to 118 pounds approximately 18 months post-op.

Well, your progress is slightly faster than mine had been...I had lost 54 pounds at the 6-month mark. Just keep plugging at it and continue to marvel at an amazing weight loss tool that you will have for life. It will not matter in the long run if you attain goal in 10 months or 30 months. What really marks you as a genuine success story is your ability to keep the weight off, not how rapidly you lost it. Good luck to you.

I made the mistake of assuming my weight loss would be speedy. Instead, virtually all of my losses were single digit (1 to 7 pounds monthly) and it took me 18 months to lose 100 pounds. I made the mistake of comparing my weight loss progress to others. The more comparisons I made, the more depressed I became about my snails pace progress. I made the mistake of concluding I'd be the one anomaly for which the gastric sleeve wouldn't work. I made the mistake of downplaying the strong genetic component that drives weight loss after bariatric surgery during the first year. I made the mistake of not having enough faith in the process. Now it's all water under the bridge.

You aren't doing anything wrong with the exception of weighing yourself every day and perhaps expecting to post daily weight losses. Sleeved weight loss occurs in a non-linear pattern: we lose a few pounds, then stall/plateau on occasion. We may even retain a few pounds of water weight before the pounds start dropping again. Also, look up the third week stall. Many sleevers stall sometime between the second and fourth post-op week, but it typically occurs in the third week. Good luck to you.

My starting weight was 225 pounds. I'm 5'1". I lost 7 pounds on the pre-op diet and weighed in at 218 on the day of my surgery. Good luck to you. I will send prayers per your request.

I'll be three years out this upcoming April... I didn't resume my coffee habit until 2 months out. Drinking coffee too soon post-op can result in discomfort and other side effects due to its high acidity. You're only a few days out. http://www.laparoscopic.md/questions/coffee-safe-drink-after-bariatric-surgery I drink at least four cups of coffee daily without any ill effects. Your mileage may vary. Good luck to you.

Only a very small percentage of bypass patients and sleeve patients experience dumping: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4875983/ If your wife opts for a bypass, there's no guarantee that she'll experience adverse reactions to ingested sweets and simple carbs. If your wife cannot control her sweet tooth, she might need to abstain from simple sugars regardless of the bariatric procedure she chooses to undergo,

I'd also be hungry if I ate mashed potatoes, Cream of Wheat, and other starches at just a few weeks out. Personally, these foods don't provide me with much satiety or fullness due to the lack of protein. Are scrambled eggs, chili, refried beans with melted cheese, and tuna acceptable in the soft foods phase that has been prescribed for you? Although most bariatric food plans allow potatoes and hot cereals, many bariatric patients experience chronic hunger if they don't prioritize protein. Good luck to you.