JerkyGirl

I am looking for exercises/activities for someone with bad knees. I have been walking in place with hand held weights as I've dropped some pounds and felt I could. I started at 2 minutes no weight and have worked up to 5 minutes with weights. I recently purchased 2 different DVDs for chair exercises, which should be here soon. Anyone else on here who has bad knees, but has found some things to do to get exercise without needs the heating pad for several days after? I am open to suggestions. I wish we had a pool, or access to one, but unfortunately we don't and the places close by that do are very expensive. 😞

When you are tracking your carbs, do you count carbs or net carbs?

Hello! My name is Christine. I am 23 years post-op and due to how long ago I had my surgery and all they have learned since.... there is so much I need to learn. I have to keep telling my doctors "I wasn't told that..." I am now in the process of losing weight to repair hernias from my initial full cut surgery. I had a Gastric Bypass/Roux en y, back in 2000 (before so much was known and so many products were available). I thought I was ready with the proper mindset to have the surgery and be successful. I lost 95 lbs., but hit a plateau and became very discouraged. Over the years I put the weight back on plus some. I am now retired and realizing I need to get this weight off, not only to fix the hernias but to improve my quality of life in my "Golden Years".

I feel so defeated.... it feels like every time I try to improve my health I make things worse. A small bit of back story first.... I had my WLS back in 2000, and was never told a lot of what they tell people now. I was simply told to take calcium, stool softeners and a multivitamin.... not what kind or what it should include etc. I was then told years later I was anemic, but after 2 years with that (PCP) doctor she never addressed it even though I inquired. Due to an extremely large hernia and pain I was having, I went to the bariatric doctor and he said to fix the hernia I would need to lose weight. I was losing weight again (after many years) and was feeling tired all the time. I asked my team about the low iron/anemia and asked if should I address it. I was advised to take 18 mg of iron daily so I bought the multivitamin with it included.... I bought a year's worth.... several days in, I became painfully constipated. Nothing worked but suppositories. I also increased my water intake and fiber both in food and with Benefiber. I was finally able to go without extreme pain after 2 days. One day of not using the suppositories and I am right back to not able to go again. I don't know if this is something that my body just needs to adjust to or if I messed myself up with all the years of taking stool softeners (that I don't even know if I was getting benefit of because I took soft gels)... I did message my team to ask advice, but with so many here going through similar stuff I thought I'd rant here also! I hate to think I wasted over $100 on the multivitamins that I can't take now. I'm a retired teacher with limited funds.....lol....

Thanks to all responding.... I do spread out the calcium and I did initially ask about taking a gentler iron because I was worried about it bothering my stomach...... then I was pointed in the direction of these multivitamins which already had iron included made specifically for bariatric patients.... I spoke to my team and they recommended a cap of Miralax daily (which has also been suggested in the forums here) so that is where I am now.... today was day 1 of doing that.... I was using Benefiber which bulks up while Miralax softens..... fingers crossed..... again thanks for the support.... ❤️

So many great responses.... thank you for your input!!! ❤️

Thanks.... I'll start looking to see what I can find 🙂

I taught Kindergarten for 23 years, first for 5 years & also technology for 5 years.... a total of 33 years. But in this order.... 1st/K/1st/TRT/K

Hello! My name is Christine. I am 23 years post-op and due to how long ago I had my surgery and all they have learned since.... there is so much I need to learn. I have to keep telling my doctors "I wasn't told that..." I am now in the process of losing weight to repair hernias from my initial full cut surgery. I had a Gastric Bypass/Roux en y, back in 2000 (before so much was known and so many products were available). I thought I was ready with the proper mindset to have the surgery and be successful. I lost 95 lbs., but hit a plateau and became very discouraged. Over the years I put the weight back on plus some. I am now retired and realizing I need to get this weight off, not only to fix the hernias but to improve my quality of life in my "Golden Years".

They don't disagree, they just keep reminding me it was almost 24 years ago and they know more now. As for the pill, I am the wrong one to ask about "stuff"....lol..... but the flier, they just gave me recently, said pills should be crushed.... I just always thought the amounts taken were increased because you absorb less... live and learn.....lol.... Presently, I am taking the multivitamin in the quick dissolving capsule and the chewable calcium (no pills).... I would love to see the pdf booklet if you can share it....

Thanks! I am hoping it works... my whole abdominal wall is atrophied and my "guts" just hanging out (but still inside) so my belly is lopsided. It will be nice to have my insides back inside again...lol....

I am almost 60, but I had my roux-en-y back in 2000 when I was much younger. I wish I had some wisdom for you, I'm here in search of my own.....lol

As I read through your comments I am wondering if my weak hands are also from the surgery. I always thought it was carpal tunnel and old age (almost 60). I just keep on learning as I read posts.... 🤯

I had my surgery @23 years ago and there is SOOOO much I wasn't told. Here are just a few of them: * my hair would thin A LOT * I needed to take a multivitamin that included specific things like iron, copper etc. * I should eat a certain amount of each of these protein, carbs, calories etc. not just each less and healthier * the calcium needs to be citrate and spaced out to 3 times a day because your body can't absorb more than 500 mg at a time. * any pills need to be crushed I am in the process of trying to lose weight again to fix hernias from my gastric bypass (Roux en y) full cut. I have to keep telling my doctors "I was never told that"... it's very frustrating. BUT on a positive note I am learning so much and there is so much more available product wise to help me with my goals.

Kristen... Most of my life I heard people say how they felt full. I never really did. I am 23 years post-op and I still struggle with the not feeling full issue. Unfortunately, this struggle led to my over eating and putting my weight back on plus some. I am now on a journey to lose again to repair hernias and improve the quality of my life. It's hard though! I was a teacher for 33 years (now retired) and eating fast was a necessity in order to finish before the kids returned and class began again. It's a tough habit to break, but a necessity for me to keep from over eating due to not feeling full. It has taken me MANY years to learn to eat slower so I can be more conscious of filling up. Different things work for different people, but if you eat fast, you can try eating slower and giving yourself time to feel full. Just know you're not alone! 😊