kcuster83

Hello and welcome! I hear a lot of good and bad things about going out of the country for surgery. Not necessarily because "Scary Mexico" but because a lot of times the after care stops once you are back home. Another thing I have read/seen a few times on these forums is that local surgeons won't follow up or help once you went to an out of country doctor. Just be prepared, prep with pros and cons as much as possible. Good luck to you!

yea, I was being lazy and didn't type "squash" I love spaghetti squash but it gets a little watery, so adding something to thicken and cream it up is a great idea and like you said ups the protein! I will definitely be trying this! Thanks!

Don't feel bad. I fail in the exercise field too! I want to, but have no motivation when focusing on everything else. I feel myself getting weaker, I need to build back up my strength. I will eventually, but need to find the motivation NOW.

Hello and welcome! Same here, I have lost 100+ lbs multiple times. 170lbs last time! and every single time said "I WILL NEVER GAIN IT BACK" yet, every time I did and more. ( I even had skin removal after my 170lb loss and still gained it back) I keep talking myself out of WLS because "I know how to loose weight, I have done it many times". Which, is in fact TRUE, VERY TRUE! I do know how to loose weight, but I do not know how to maintain it! Ever... at all! This is what pushed me to have WLS. I hope this is the help I need to maintain. I am scared to death to get to that stage because of my massive failure history but I am focused and have an entire team on my side! This (and other forums) can be very helpful and inspiring. I read for months while I went through the pre-surgery process. I wanted to know everything, the good, bad and ugly. And, oh boy did I. Read everything, google everything ask all the questions. You will then be as prepared as possible. I wish you the best on your journey!

It happens and it will pass if you stay on your plan. Good luck

The weight loss your surgeon gives you are based on state and/or country wide AVERAGES. So, it is exactly that and average. Some less, some more. Not one person is the same with anything let alone weight loss. You have had HUGE success, loosing 120 lbs in a year is astronomical! Good for you, be proud of that. The closer you get to goal weight, the slower the weigh drops because you have less of a calorie deficit. If you want to keep loosing, keep pushing. Track all of your foods and if possible, cut a few ore calories. Get those fluids! Regardless of WLS they are SO important to overall well being. I have always been a huge water drinker, so I have been exceeding my fluids goals since about 2 weeks after surgery and never have an issue. But, seriously I drink all day long. I still wait 30 before and after meals but I only eat 3 times a day so that is easier than when eating 5 meals a day. Find a schedule that works for you and run with it. I have the same routine all week at work, and then a slightly modified weekend routine. Best of luck to you, keep swimming!

OHHH! Do you add the cottage cheese into your spaghetti? I never thought of that, even with Ricotta.. it would make it so creamy!

I have ALWAYS been cold... 400lbs or 250 lbs.. ALWAYS COLD! (not Anemic, been checked multiple times) It is SO much worse now since surgery. I am so cold all the time, like bone chilling cold!

Too much. lol I weigh and measure everything and just eat what I am supposed to.

I notice my farts only stink when I have to poop. Normally just air, but when I know I am getting close to having to use the bathroom I notice they stink BAD! It is like poop fumes are escaping. lol 🤷‍♀️ It is weird, and only since surgery.

100%! I usually wear mens sneakers and flip flops. 😕 Women's dress shoes, I have to order. 🤣🤣

People do loose muscle mass after surgery. Especially with the rapid weight loss. Do you exercise? That could help? Even just some mild resistance bands? Talk to your doctor? I am sure they can help!

There are a few ladies in the 6ft range on here, I just can't remember names. haha I like being tall but hate my big feet. HAHA that will never change.

Well, I went to Florida this past week. Did 4 days at Disney/Universal parks. Walked 7 or MORE miles EVERY DAY! What??? 7 MILES A DAY!! I would have had to stop and take breaks, maybe quit half way through the day previously! My feet hurt, but everyone's did. So I don't take that as a weight issue at this point, just A LOT OF WALKING!

I slept in the recliner for the first few days. Just because it was more comfortable.

Everyone fluctuates. Also, women tend to retain water around there monthly so it could be that too.

Everyone seems so off put by cabbage a red sauce. No one has ever heard of stuffed cabbage? Or cabbage rolls? This is like a stuffed pepper filling but rolled in cabbage leaves. I haven't had it in YEARSSSS but it was good.

There are lots of factors to how quickly someone looses weight. Most importantly, 1/2 a day is 15 lbs a month.. there is NOTHING slow about that. Keep up the good work.

I just think my second stall ended but mine are the same. I gained 1-2 lbs and then stayed there for about 2 weeks and then this week I have lost 5 lbs so far (since Monday, 1lb per day) I usually only weigh myself on Monday's but this week did mid week to see if I was out of my stall. 6 month follow up today and I am still a bit ahead of my weight loss chart the surgeon gave me. My chart says I should loose aprox. 97 lbs in 6 months and as of this morning I have lost 106 lbs in those 6 months!

SMH American insurance blows! I can't even get myself going! Sorry, well like I said don't give up! If nothing else you will still be healthier!

This might be a stupid question but can't your OBGYN prescribe hormonal replacements to help balance it out? Or, if you can't have kids is a hysterectomy an option? I know it's invasive, but then your hormones would be replaced my monitored therapy and be more stable? Don't give up, it might be fluctuation as your body readjusts too. Or, temporary.

After bypass I developed like a phlegm in the back of my throat, then watery eyes and some other small things. I had mine right before summer so I called my PCP and told him and he said it is allergies. Had me use flonase for allergies. I was hesitant because I NEVER have had allergies my entire life, and really thought it was something from the surgery. But, I did and it went away in a few days! It is a huge coincidence that I developed allergies after having WLS and I blame it on the surgery because I want to but it's unlikely obviously. haha Anyway, apparently I have allergies now and the flonase takes care of it. Maybe ask the doctor, or give it a try? It is over the counter and like 15 bucks.

Valid, very valid! My entire family is obese, immediate and extended. Literally every single person... I have fault it my entire life and never remember seeing the "100's" on the scale. I am 6ft tall so I don't know if I ever will but I would like to see 199 just once so I can say I officially weighed under 200 lbs. I just posted about this earlier today. haha Obviously I didn't go from toddler weight to over 200 lbs but I guess I was over 200 once I was at the age to weigh myself and remember. Regardless, I have struggled with loosing and gaining over 100 lbs multiple times through my life. That is what brought me to surgery. I hope it helps me maintain my weight loss this time.

That is very vague. haha I was on 2 week phases, 2 weeks full liquids, 2 weeks pureed, 2 weeks soft foods and then slowing transition to solid foods. I did not have to wait to see my surgeon before each stage but we were advised if we had any issues to reach out. I was lucky enough to have a smooth recovery and had no issues transitioning into different stages. When we started trying foods again, we were advised to try ONE thing at a time so if we got sick we knew exactly what it was from. Then, we could try that food again a few weeks/months later as our tolerances change as we progress.

Good question! I don't have any answers but I think about this too. I picked a "goal" weight based on how I felt/looked after a large weight loss years ago. I got down to about 255 lbs and looked shockingly small in pictures. I felt great so I kind of picked 225 lbs as my goal weight to get just past that. My surgeon agreed with it as a healthy manageable goal weight. Really, I would like to see 199 on the scale ONE time but then bounce back to around 225. i only want to see 199 so I can say I did. haha. I literally NEVER remember a time I saw a "1" in the front of my weight. i think by the time I got to the age of caring or even knowing to weigh myself I was already over 200 lbs. I don't want to stay there because I am 6ft tall, and my personal preference is not to be "skinny" but to be healthy and comfortable. Honestly though, I am taking it day by day. If I get to 250 lbs and I am good with it then lucky me. If not, I will keep pushing until I am satisfied. I am already off all medications and healthy so I have already won in my book.