The Greater Fool

Maybe they were intended to be nightshirts? Well, they are now. Tek

I never* used them. My plan called for 3 meals per day, each containing 20+ grams of protein through meat (usually). Days 1 - 30 post-op were the same plan pureed. Day 31 forward not pureed any longer. How much protein, of what sort, and how often, is very much a personal decision in consultation with your medical team. Good luck, Tek * Never in normal times. However, when I was binge running, ramping up for marathons, my plan increased from 3 meals per day, to 4, then 5, then 6, then 6 + a protein drink. I fealt like I was eating all day long. I hated it.

You're on vacation. There are no rules on vacation, especially 13 years post-op. Having said that, protein first as always. The rest can wait until you get home. I've never had an issue finding tolerable foods and I dump on sugars and fats, so more restrictive than most. Cruises are known for their volume and variety of food. They even cater to different diets. You'd really have to work pretty hard to have a problem. Good luck, Tek

I'm about the same amount of time since my bypass. I don't recall having an intollerance to almost all foods for extended periods. But for a few days or a week, sure. I don't think you should rule out the experience of anyone based on years post-op because there are people here that know more about weight loss surgeries than you and I. Heck, they give many surgeons a run for their money. Some of us research the stuffing out of weight loss surgeries before we even see a surgeon. Could you fill us in on what's going on? How does your intollerance work? Does it prevent you from swallowing, or does your food come back up? How long after eating? Anything else change during this period? Your previous issues could also provide insight into your current issues. Also, what does your medical team say? Tons of knowledge and experience is on the edge of their seats waiting to help. Tek

Be careful of those whims! At about 18 months post-op I was walking consistently. I felt that with the right push off that I could fly. We generally went down to the strip and called it people watching. One day we didn't want to go to the strip so we went to a local park that had a walking/running course. On a whim [There it is, all innocent] I ran the last hundred yards and it felt good. I decided to see if I could complete a C25K (Couch to 5K) program, and lo! in no time I could run 5K. I never ran an official 5K but I did increase my distance. Eventually I was up to 10k. Then 15k. Then I decided to keep track of such things in miles. Then 10 miles, then 13.2 (yes, the Garmin said it so it must be true). I still had not participated in any official events. About this time I got it in my silly little head to run a marathon. I started training for a marathon. Training was progressing well, when I had a business trip in SoCal. I saw there was a marathon in Long Beach that weekend, which wasn't far from where I was. My long training runs were up to 16 miles, so I thought it would be cool to use it as training run and have my spouse pick me up at around mile 16. To save y'all from an exciting mile by mile story, it should be obvious by now that I completed my first official race, the Long Beach Marathon. I ran 5 marathons which including one in San Francisco where I got to run across the Golden Gate bridge (twice). 500+ pounds previously this was not even a passing thought. All on a whim. Good luck, Tek

The MGB just has not been widely adopted in the USA. Back when I was more involved in the WLS world the MGB also had a bad reputation the cause of which I don't even remember now, which may have contributed to the lack of uptake. Europe had more MGBs. Like other humans, surgeons have their ideas why one surgery is better or preferable over another. Like other humans, those reasons aren't necessarly rationational or based on tested evidence. This is why it's important to do your research and understand why you want the surgery YOU want, not what some human suggests for gawd knows what reason. Good luck, Tek

All reasonable goals. Not unlike my goals all those years ago, just simple health and happiness. Most of what I write is for the wider world of readers. Previous responses covered the the numbers involved in the weight loss phase. I covered the numbers at the beginning and end of the process which are likewise flawed. Good luck always, Tek

Adding to the things that may not be accurate: BMI. BMI is an average that was reduced to a simple algorithm: BMI = weight (kg) / [height (m)]^2. In words: weight * (height * height). This calculation is intended to be a rough estimate to start with not the end all be all it has become. Such a calculation is closer to "correct" at the middle or average height and weight. Tall people skew to a lower BMI, short people skew to a higher BMI. The taller / shorter we are the more the BMI skews lower / higher. Body type also can skew higher or lower BMI. Not all of our bodies are built the same yet the BMI assumes they are. The more muscle we have the more the BMI doesn't work right. Body builders show the extreme of this effect. Arnold at his younger best would weigh in at a very high BMI. But us humans can build enough muscle to screw with our BMI. BMI is a rough starting place. Once you have the number, it doesn't really matter. How we feel, our health both physical and mental, how our eating and exercise are feeling. These are the real measures. Whew, done with BMI. But the post goes on. Then another part of this whole thing is Goal Weight. Simply, It may be wrong. If we're aiming for a certain BMI or BMI range the BMI discussion above should cause us to think. If it's a weight we were when we were young(er), our body has changed since then. If it's a weight our surgeon or medical team created it is another number intended as an idea that has been turned into a goal to measure us by. If it's based on those on-line calculators they give the average progress and result of someone with our demographics: We as individuals are not average. Goals are not written in stone. As a target to aim for when you start the process, it's fine. As you progress things change. Our bodies may tell us the original goal is unrealistic. If our body is happy and healthy at a different weight perhaps we should listen. The thing with goals, we are over the moon when we lose 10, 20, 50 pounds more than goal. Look how unconcerned we are about missing our goals by 10, 20, or 50 pounds. Why is missing goal by 10, 20, 50 pounds the other way so devestating? We misjudged our goals both ways. Ultimately, it's where our bodies that decided where to stop. If we have goals, we should continually evaluate them and change them as necessary. We have more information about our process now than we did when we started. More now than last week. Be honest. Be realistic. Good luck, Tek

@Arabesque hit all the important points. I will reitterate that it's hard to fail the psych approval or any WLS approval really. Honestly, the thoughts you are having are not unusual. Many of us worried about not being approved because we did so much wrong to get to our weight (I was 500 pounds overweight). It doesn't matter. Even knowing this I still fretted over the psych evaluation. I was certain I would be rejected for this life saving surgery. But I fooled them and was approved. You too will be approved. If you believe you can lose your weight and keep it off, then do it. Surgery is forever. Evaluate your history of weight loss attempts, if any. Many of us could lose weight. It was being consistent and maintaining that was the problem. If I honestly believed I could lose the weight and keep it off without WLS I would have done it. But I had 20 years of not being able to do it no matter my beliefs that I could. For me, my comfortable weight is just barely into 'overweight' because I'm tall and I didn't like being a stick (I was 'underweight' for a while). This decission is also all you. It's your body. There is no law that you have to have a normal BMI. Do you. Trust yourself. Tek

Congratulations on your surgery and success. To answer your questions first: How much weight did you lose after gastric bypass, and over what period of time? I lost 500+ pounds over a period of 2 years. Have you managed to maintain your weight loss, and for how long? I have managed my weight at just about a Normal BMI for just shy of 20 years. What were the biggest lessons or hurdles you faced during your journey? The biggest hurdle I had was the actual surgery. It was an open surgery where they cut from stem to sturn so they can reach in and manage the surgery then staple things back up. The staples at drain were extraordinarily painful with the slightest movement for the month until they took them out. Another couple weeks after that I was as good as gold. Next was learning how to eat, chewing, swallowing, learning when I was full, learning that I dumped on fats, then learning I dumped on sugars. Listening to my stomach on what I would be able to tolerate, then how much. Learning not to take that one more bite. My highest point was running 5 marathons, the third of which was across the Golden Gate Bridge (twice). Never even a hint of a possibility before my surgery. Good luck, Tek

I have fatty liver, diagnosed the day I had my RNY surgery 21+ years past. My perception is that as liver deseases go Fatty liver seems like the one to pick up. It has been fairly easy to deal with. My labs have generally been in the normal ranges without medications or diet changes. Basically, it's not something that even comes to mind except when mentioned here or when I'm prescribed medications that are hard on the liver, in which case I declare I can't take them but rarely and that something else should be prescribed. Chronic pain is the most fun to deal with as frequent NSAIDs are not good for the tummy and frequent Tylenol type meds are hard on the liver. It's frustrating bringing new doctors along on the rules and acceptable meds. Good luck, Tek

Isn't it amazing how a number on a scale can drive us to take action when none is necessary. How it can control our emotions. We tell ourselves we won't give the scale such power over us yet here we are. We can get there from here without a scale. Good luck. Tek

As one of the group "men" I feel the need to defend them. But I won't because relationships have come up and I want to talk about them. Them and being invisible, I want to talk about that also. By the time this is over you will be wishing I defended men. #NotAllMen Invisibility first: When I was 500+ pounds overweight I was a weird sort of invisible. The sort of invisible that people running into posts, missing stair steps, and other slapstick comedy were common around me. The sort of invisible that when I was in crouds, I had a 3 foot buffer of empty space around me. I didn't realize what I had until I lost it. As I was losing weight my invisiblity failed me completely. As I went about my business around my neighborhood, complete strangers would engage with me like long lost friends. I lived next to a police academy. We each ignored each other, or so I thought. When I was at a point I started walking then running, a police officer congratulated me on my weight loss, told me he started way back when I started. Over his car's megaphone. At 4:00am. Then the police cadets file out for their morning run, and he had each of them shake my hand. I almost became a recluse then and there. My invisibilty returned when I lost the excess weight and moved to a new city. It was lilke being showered with happiness. In crowds it wasn't pretend, people really didn't see me. I lost my 3 foot buffer but it was almost worth it. I was just another random person. I am the definition of average looking not worthy of a second glance. Or even a first. It's like a warm blanket on a cold night. Relationships: "WLS makes bad relationships worse and good ones better." If you are losing a signficant amount of weight you are making a big change in the status quo, the balance, of a lot of relationships. In this very thread we've read how relationships change with spouses, friends, enemies, and other strangers. Even yourself. On the "how relationships change for the worst." That lifetime friend that changes because you are now the pretty one. That significant other that liked you the way you were, such as becoming noticable to other men, or because you are more confident, or don't need your significant other as much.You and that unwanted attention. Oddly, "how relationships change for the better" is much the same list. As is often the case, it's all about our perception, our baggage, and what we want from life. If we want to help a relationship make it through this transformation, consistent and repetitive communication is necessary. Keeping and building relationships is only half up to you. Some relationships may not continue because the person on the other side can't cope with your changes. WLS will change your life in more ways than just losing weight. Good luck, Tek

Congratulations and good luck. Tek

I'm 21 years post-op. A sandwich that I could easily eat pre-op is 4 meals now. The thing is, my concept of 'standard' has changed completely. For this thing to work long term it had to*. In the years pre-op I could do any crash diet that came along with 100% compliance for months. I can do anything for a short time knowing the short time would end eventually. That's not change, that's will power, which most of us have in abundance. WLS is forever*. The early "honeymoon" period shouldn't be about losing weight as fast as you can*. It should be about changing "normal" and getting weight loss as a positive reinforcement for compliance*. Compliance + positive reinforcement + time = new normal*. My plan was to eat the way I would after I lost all the weight. Basically, I started my "maintenance" plan the day after surgery. I eat now pretty much as I have since about 3 months post-op, though now I complete more meals than I did at 3 months. There is no "after." This is my normal, the way I eat without thinking. WLS is forever is my opinion. Plenty of folks have done the draconian post-op diet and lost all their weight and even maintained it for years. Many track every morsel they eat forever. For me, that's no way to live. This is not how my surgeon wanted me to live. Good luck, Tek * Personal opinion.