The Greater Fool

More like a fan club for me Tek

I'm one of those dumpers that @catwoman7 mentioned. I've never been a big cake fan, though I've always been a frosting fan . I'll generally eat a bite or two of my spouse's cake and suffer no harm. A whole piece looks dangerous to me. I can generally eat a snack-size candy with no ill effects while two could be a problem in the right/wrong circumstances. Ice cream I can manage a couple scoops safely, though I generally eat slow enough that the last couple spoons full are ice cream soup. Again, more feels dangerous. To note, I have dumped on cake, ice cream, sweets on very small amounts when hunger, meds, health, fatigue, or any number of things enter the picture, so I have to assess where I am when I do eat such things. I'm still wrong, but rarely. Pizza is no problem, though I abandon the crust somewhat quickly, as it fills me up. I eat some perhaps once every four months. It's not what it was pre-op. Honestly, these foods just aren't as much a part of my life as they were pre-op. Good luck, Tek

Congratulations. As always, enjoy your vacation. Good luck, Tek

Talk to your medical team. If it matters to them, it matters. If not, well... Good luck, Tek

From my experience with my youngest with BPD, there are also self-destructive behaviors that can be part of the deal. I imagine that could be a show stopper for WLS. Good luck, Tek

I miss that when walking in crowds everyone used to just organically get out of my way. Now I have to trudge through like everyone else. There are times I miss being able to eat some particularly wonderful food in ridiculous volumes. Now I enjoy what I can and move on satisfied. There's a lot more I definitely don't miss. And even more I don't remember. Good luck, Tek

Wow, I am precisely 7,000 days post-op today! Thanks for noticing, you're too kind. Calories per day? This will be the 7,000th day post-op I haven't counted calories. Good luck, Tek

Honestly, it depends on the bed and recliner. Since you don't have a recliner you can test drive it pre-op to see how easy it is to get up. [ETA: I didn't have a recliner. I had an open surgery with all the staples and drains that implies, along with new and exciting adventures in pain with every movement. A recliner seems like it might have helped, but I'm not sure it would have been worth the expense or trouble of getting one.] Good luck, Tek

T'was the night before surgery, And all through the house, Not a morsel was safe, Not even something that rhymed with house... Good luck, Tek

Thanks for indulging my curiosity. To [hopefully] clarify the conversation, black are my original questions, red are your replies, purple my feedback. Just to ensure everyone is on the same page, Dumping Syndrome is typically related to consuming sugars and/or fats, as has been previously mentioned. Dumping on other foods is exceptionally unusual. How often do you dump? If it's responsible for the majority of your weight loss as you claim then you would be dumping pretty frequently. If it is actually dumping you wouldn't likely be dumping enough to impact weight loss. So I never said I was losing weight because of this. I think I lost weight just from keeping on the proper plan initially. I would say I get sick at almost every meal, regardless of the ingredients, but it's severe with anything carb or sugar-related. Sorry about my misunderstanding. I inadvertently connected two unrelated thoughts. I apologize. The fact you get sick at almost every meal would tell me you aren't generally dumping. It's not to say that you are never dumping, just that it is not generally what is going on. What actual foods cause you to dump? Pretty much everything but it's particularly horrible with carbs, sugar, and greasy/deep-fried foods. Again, "Pretty much everything" would indicate that much/most(?) of what you are experiencing is not dumping. Dumping is in response to specific foods rather than most foods. In what quantities? I don't measure anymore but it doesn't take much. A few bites will do it, or even a small square of something sugary. I understand that you don't measure, neither do I. "A few bites" does answer the question, though. A 1.5" x 1.5" square of fudge or comparable sugar dense candy can easily make me dump. How soon after you eat do your symptoms appear? Within 10-15 minutes. What are the symptoms? It feels like my heart is going to pound out of my chest, feel dizzy, head pressure, brain-fog, and overall sense of anxiety. I also get reactive-hypoglycemia...but not true hypoglycemia. My body just responds very poorly to blood sugar drops because they happen so fast, but rarely have I been in hypo numbers. These comments add I think what are the more important pieces of information. If this were dumping, you could simply reduce the sugars or fats that might be causing distress. But when it's almost everything, frequently, then it doesn't sound like just or even mostly dumping, if it's dumping at all. If you are, in fact, over consuming sugars and/or fats over frequently then your initial steps would be clear: stop doing that and see if this fixes your issue(s) in short order. If you've tried yet continue over consuming sugars and/or fats frequently and unable to stop yourself then were I in your shoes I'd get myself to a therapist post haste. [ETA: I have not gotten the impression you are out of control in this way. Quite the contrary.] This is not a diet or nutrition issue in my opinion. It's not that you're not working to eat the correct foods, it's that eating any foods too often cause physical distress. Were this me, I would have long ago become a squeaky wheel. I would be camping in my surgeon's or PCP's offices until I got a resolution, or at least significant progress, in fixing whatever is going on. I would not be put off. Bottom line: Get your medical team to work helping you. Be your own advocate. Good luck, Tek

Let's get specific about your dumping. I am one of the lucky ones that dump on both sugars and fats, so I may be able to offer some help. We need to get into specifics because not everyone understands exactly what dumping actually is. How often do you dump? If it's responsible for the majority of your weight loss as you claim then you would be dumping pretty frequently. If it is actually dumping you wouldn't likely be dumping enough to impact weight loss. What actual foods cause you to dump? In what quantities? How soon after you eat do your symptoms appear? What are the symptoms? Good luck, Tek

When I was binge running my resting rate was at 40. The only time this was an issue is after my tummy-tuck (which happened to be the day after my 5th marathon) where a newly discovered (because of this event) bleeding issue caused me to bleed out on the table. They gave me 7 units of blood and revived me, fortunately. Ultimately my low heart rate saved my life. The annoying issue was post-op because the low rate kept causing a code where they rushed in with a crash cart to "rescue" me, which was unnecessary. After about the 5th episode the surgeon just removed the heart monitor.

I have never counted calories. Nor grams of protein, carbs, or whatever. I did weigh my food for the first month or so. After that I just eye-balled everything. Vacations aren't really all that different, though I make a few choices I wouldn't make at home. Even eating out I eat appropriate choices and portions. I don't really care about leaving food on the plate. I didn't have WLS to spend the rest of my life on a diet. Good luck, Tek

A watched pot never boils. Good luck, Tek

I have a few regrets, none of which have anything to do with my Gastric Bypass. Good luck, Tek

No.

Look a bit lower. Good luck, Tek

Skin removal is not always "cosmetic." For me, it was "reconstructive." Certain things make it reconstructive. first, a panus that overhangs the pubic area, back-pain, documented constant or repeating infections under the panus. My "reconstructive" tummy-tuck was totally covered by insurance. My thighs were approve as "reconstructive" for many of the same reasons. Rashes between the legs were additional reasons for "reconstructive." I didn't follow through on this because of a newly discovered clotting issue that killed me during the tummy-tuck. Keep in mind and prove "reconstructive" and insurance coverage is a new game. Good luck, Tek

Congratulations on your success. Yep, the extra energy is a boon! Enjoy it. Good luck, Tek

Your surgeon needs to get out more. Good luck, Tek

I don't really look at the clock when I eat but I'm not eating nearly as quickly as anyone around me. I do sip as necessary during meals. Again, I don't look at the clock when deciding to decide when I drink before or after meals, but I'd say I would generally be rule compliant if someone had a stopwatch running. Good luck, Tek

I still follow my plan but I call it 'normal' now. Most restrictions I have are because of dumping on sugars and fats so I monitor those pretty carefully. If I am in a group eating, either I or my spouse have to be careful of what and how I eat because I forget to pay attention, which is why I don't often eat in groups. But I'm not a big fan of people so not being in groups is always a goal Good luck, Tek

During the first couple years, I weighed at monthly follow-ups. This was less by choice as I couldn't fit on home scales. When I got to where I could weigh on a home scale, I did that every time I saw the scale for a couple weeks because of the novelty, then went back to only at monthly follow-ups. When the monthly follow-ups ended I only weighed at my annual physicals. Good luck, Tek

Congratulations on your successes. I hope the kidney situation goes well. As to the panniculectomy, you gotta do what you gotta do. Good luck, Tek

For the first couple years I only weighed at my follow-up appointments. This was less a choice than it was bowing to reality since I didn't fit on home scales. When I could fit on a home scale I weighed whenever I saw a scale for a couple weeks just for the novelty of being able to. After a couple weeks the novelty wore off. I returned to just weighing at monthly follow-ups. Once I stopped the monthly follow-ups I just weighed at medical appointments which pretty quickly became my annual physicals. I don't weigh at home. Good luck, Tek