AZhiker

I lost 14 before surgery, 35 in the first month post op, and 15 the next month, Then it was slower and steady to goal in 7 months. HOWEVER>>>>> This is not a race or a competition. Everyone is different. I wish I had lost slower, as it would have given my brain a chance to catch up. I really struggled with body image and dysmorphia. Everyone loses as different rates, and as long as you follow the plan, the weight will come off. You have to run your own race and absolutely cannot compare to anyone else. I also started exercising right away and took that part of the plan very seriously. I think that accelerated my weight loss, but like I said, it did have a down side.

Yup. Fat stores estrogen and hormone dumping when the fat starts melting away can also happen to guys. Eat some pickles!

I was 62 when I had surgery and it was the best decision I've ever made. My only regret is that I didn't do it sooner and avoid the arthritis and joint deterioration. I ended up having a knee replacement and may need another one down the road. 5 decades of abuse and the joints just can't take it any more. Don't wait that long. Please read "The Obesity Code" by Dr, Jason Fung. He explains it all so well, and relieves you of the guilt and lack of will power. There is no will power when biology is calling the shots. BTW, one of the best predictors of successful weight loss surgery is having a first degree relative (parent, child, or sibling) who had a successful surgery. I LOVE my reclaimed life. I can do anything I want - hiking, long distance biking, and even completed a triathlon within a year of my surgery! I have maintained my weight and am actually under my goal weight right now. I have been gluten free for years, but am now also following a whole food plant based diet. I've never felt better or stronger, and I eat an enormous amount of food, am never hungry, and basically eat whatever I want within the WFPB guidelines. I'm not saying you should do this, but surgery gave me the jump start. Once I reached goal, I felt free to explore other options without the cravings and over eating that would sabotage every other effort. WLS has given tremendous freedom over food. For the first time in my life, I feel like I control the food instead of the food controlling me.

Yup, I'd say all of us experience it. But soooooo much better to be cold and able to put more clothes on, than to be so hot and you can't take any more off. And much better than the hot, sweaty, fungal skin infections in all the folds nd creases every summer! Besides, it's fun to buy cute sweaters and jackets!

Can also get them at Costco - watch for them on sale and it's a pretty good deal.

You have a big job of mentally reframing what is "good" food. I agree with the others that you will be able to have those foods again, in limited portions, but the bigger job is to start training your brain to love the healthy foods and start despising the unhealthy ones. Ice cream and simple carbs are the seducers that got you into trouble in the first place. You have to start thinking about them in term of what they actually do to your long term health. An exercise of CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) in overcoming addictive behaviors is to make a list of all the benefits of healthy foods (lower cholesterol, lower glucose levels, lower BP, weight loss, anti-oxidants, vitamins, etc) and a list of the bad things unhealthy foods will do (increased weight, BP, glucose, lipids, depression, loss of quality of life, higher rate of heart attack, cancer ,and stroke, decreased longevity, etc.) If you practice this daily, your brain really will start to "re-wire" to seek out a delicious food choice rather than a poor one, and you will have increased endorphin release by making the choice. Healthy choices are part of the lifestyle changes you agree to tackle when you agree to WLS. Don't obsess on the ice cream. You'll have it again, eventually. But use this first year to make the lifestyle changes and rewire your thought patterns so the sweets and treats will never take you down again. PS: Another thought. Before surgery, I cannot count the number of times i would pray, "Please, God, I'll give up anything if You can just help me get this weight off." Then I had surgery and the weight came off. I am dead serious in saying that if I NEVER can have a bite of ice cream or sugar again, it is a sacrifice worth every single day of being a normal weight and having my life back. The fact is that you have to be willing to give up the junk if you want the health. You can't keep flirting with the food that made you fat in the first place. You can't have it both ways. Until you really hardwire the healthy habits and healthy food, don't put yourself in the way of temptation by entertaining thoughts of the junk food.

Hormone fluctuations are very common. Fat tissue stores up estrogen and it can get dumped once weight loss starts. That can lead to terrible mood swings. . It will get better. Just take it one day at a time.

Kdella, I'm sorry you are feeling so discouraged. I also had a bleeding ulcer and blood clots in my legs. It's hard to keep your spirits up when there are complications. But the reality is that you are doing great. 55 pounds in 4 months is actually very good. Nearly everyone stalls around the 4 month mark, so what you are experiencing is normal. There are so many psychological changes that occur after WLS. As you know, it is a lot more than just a physical process. The joy of food will return, but it will be different. The fact that you are a cook and a baker is wonderful, because you have the knowledge to adapt recipes and come up with innovations that will probably help others, as well. Do not get your surgery reversed! You just need to heal and keep following the plan. The weight will come off, and a year from now your body and your outlook will be completely different. You just have to hang in there. As you have discovered, the crutch of comfort food has been taken away, so now you will learn new ways to cope - ways that are healthier and more positive for your life. You have made one of the biggest decisions of your life in getting surgery. It will most likely turn out to be one of the best decisions you have made, but you have to reframe your thoughts to start focusing on what you have instead of what you don't have. You are over half way to your goal weight! That is great! A lot of folks are not that far along in just 4 months - really! You have passed some major hurdles - the first few months are the hardest for everyone, and you had the added complication, but... that is behind you now. It only gets better. Start reworking your favorite meals to see what kind of tasty dishes you can come up with! I discovered a severe gluten intolerance about 10 years ago, and am STILL finding new gluten free recipes that are even better than the originals. (I found an amazing green bean casserole, complete with onion topping that is more delicious than the standard one that everyone brings to potlucks. And I just learned how to back incredible GF bread.) It's a learning adventure that keeps on going..... Learning how to appreciate and prepare healthier foods is like that, too. You start building a catalog of recipes that you and your family like, and it just gets better and better. HANG IN THERE! You are not alone.

Are you trying to eat too much? Try cutting your portion sizes in half and see how you feel. As you advance your diet, there are ups and downs and you have to find the sweet spot in what you can tolerate. The frustrating thing is that it is not consistent from day to day. One day you can eat 1/2 cup of something and the next day it is only 2 bites. This will get better, but you have to take it easy. If you are getting sick and slimy after you eat, cut back on the bites.

2 oz or 1/4 cup is about what most people start with, and sometimes not even that much. Do not chase the restriction. That's a bad habit to get into, as some foods never make you feel restricted. Go with measurements and calories for now. Of course, if you feel suddenly full, then STOP, no matter how much you've had.

Use plant based protein powder and shakes. such as Orgain with 20 gm of protein. Ripple milk is great with 8 gm per cup. I developed a whey intolerance after surgery and don't consume any dairy products now. 90 gm of protein is a lot for a woman. My surgeon's guidelines for women were as follows: 60 inches tall (5 ft): 50 - 60 gms per day 65 inches ( 5 ft 5 in): 60 - 65 gm per day 70 inches (5 ft 8 in): 65 - 70 gm per day Only very tall men need to get in 90 gm/day per my surgeon. So I wouldn't worry too much if you can't get in that much.. Anyway, I use soy or oat milk yogurt, Ripple milk, and plenty of legumes. I have no problem getting in my protein every day. It's not hard, even being lactose intolerant.

Are you trying to eat too much? Try cutting your portion sizes in half and see how you feel. As you advance your diet, there are ups and downs and you have to find the sweet spot in what you can tolerate. The frustrating thing is that it is not consistent from day to day. One day you can eat 1/2 cup of something and the next day it is only 2 bites. This will get better, but you have to take it easy. If you are getting sick and slimy after you eat, cut back on the bites.

Like others, the benefits of the surgery out weighed the risks. My quality of life was horrible and only getting worse as I got older. Co-morbidities were increasing. I did have 2 complications - post op blood clots and an ulcer, but both were successfully treated and resolved. I do not regret surgery for a minute. I have a new life with a bright future ahead.

It's hard. My eyes are still too big for my stomach. I am constantly reminding myself to take HALF of what I think I need on my plate. There is something way back in my history that relates to deprivation. My parents would limit our food and lock the fridge so we couldn't help ourselves to fruit. Granted, money was tight and we were taught to eat every pea and bean on our plate, but it somehow set up this emotional insecurity that I would never have enough. Now I am trying to relearn all that and be at peace with small portions, knowing that seconds are always available. However, I am usually quite full before that point. I think if it took years to learn some of these habits, it will take years to un-learn them. Just gotta keep plugging away at it.

I had issues like that - the doctors office lost both my cardiac clearance letter and my psych eval and then tried to tell me that I never had them done!!! BUT...... I had the copies!!!!! (KEEP COPIES OF EVERYTHING!!!) So it was resubmitted and then there had to be a doc to doc call. But it eventually worked out and I had the surgery. I don't think it is uncommon to have glitches. There are so many bases to cover in the process, that it is actually quite amazing if a surgery gets approved withOUT a glitch of some kind. Hang in there. It will happen.

The positive side is that you will tolerate heat so much better. We had the 2nd hottest summer on record this year, and it was HOT. But I was fine. In the past, I would have been dying. I also would have been battling the yeast infections in all my folds and creases, along with chaffing on my thighs and arms. No more of that now! So I'll wear a sweater anytime over those horrible infections!

It's different for everyone. But you should see the scale starting to change after a week. Don't worry. It WILL change!

I still get quite cold in the grocery stores, but it isn't as bad as it was a year ago when I had to wear a jacket everywhere. It really is amazing how the body reacts when the layers of fat are gone! I cannot swim in most pools now, unless they are at least 85 degrees. 90 degrees is better. I just get soooo cold that it is painful. Besides, I lost all my buoyancy and I sink now instead of bobbing.

Very normal. Besides the IV fluid, you have swelling in the tissues from the surgery itself.

It is a great option. Eat what you can. It is different for everyone. I could only eat 2 oz of protein at a time. So start with 1 triangle. If you can handle more, then great. You have to listen to your own body, regardless of what anyone else says. Your program may say to eat more, but you have to go at the rate you can handle. Everyone progresses at different rates and no program can perfectly fit the needs of every patient. Timing and amount can vary, and as long as you are progressing, you are fine.

That's twice as many calories as I was getting during that same time frame. I lost weight quickly, as well, but I was listening to my body as far as how much I could eat. I figured as long as I was getting my fluids and protein requirements in, the food would come at it's own pace..... and it did. You can't force feed yourself if your body isn't ready. And extra protein shake would be the way to go.

It gets better each week, but remember that your body is still healing for at least 8 weeks. I feel like I turned a corner right at 3 months and had a lot more energy then.

There's nothing fraudulent in telling people you decided to take control over your weight problem. Period. If they press you, it is perfectly acceptable to say something like, "You know, most people regain weight loss within a year, so I really don't want to talk about it or give advice to anyone else right now. Ask me again in a year, if I am still maintaining my weight loss." I think this is very reasonable and actually a wise answer. There's nothing worse than telling people about personal success in anything and then end up eating your words later. I have no doubt that you will be successful in your weight loss, but you don't have to give details to anyone, until you are ready. Some people like to just put it out there, and other people feel a bit to vulnerable to judgement to do that. I still haven't told anyone (except immediate family) about my surgery. My co workers see how I eat, and how healthy it is. There is no question that healthy eating and exercise is what is keeping my weight off, and so they don't even ask.

The more initiative you take in this whole process, the better off you will be. Don't assume anything. Get and keep copies of EVERYTHING - like cardiac clearance, psych clearance, pcp notes, everything. Find out for yourself what your insurance covers and know it inside out. Write down the names of people you talk to, along with dates. Basically, start keeping a log of all conversations, visits, tests, and results. It will be invaluable to have when some one gives you the run around or the doc office loses the results of something.

I have BCBS as well. You can find all the information you need on their website. Just do some searching and you will find it all spelled out.