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I'm sorry to hear that you are not where you hoped to be. I think you have made a very valid point. A lot of us gained weight or were always heavy due to addiction/self medicating. The surgery will not make the addiction go away. All it is is a tool to help you from being hungry. I too have super crappy feet now. Although I still carry weight in my rib cage, my feet and ass are both void of any sort of cushioning. My husband has leather seats in his car. You can tell where I sit as I have made two permanent dents in the seat from the ass bones poking thru. I will sadly say that I have learn many things about myself during this journey. First a high point. I have been very successful with my surgery. I am so thankful that ins covers it. But, The surgery will not make you unaddicted. It will not improve your marriage, your body image, your work, relationships with others or anything. All it will do is help you to not be hungry so you eat less. If you allow head hungry to rule then you will sadly pay the price. I too was having some emotional issues this past year. Both my kids went away to college and I was just having some real anger issues. I tried Wellbutrin with no luck. Finally I just decided to stop fighting it and take the Vit B12. It has made a decent change. Now mind you I rock my blood work all the time. I have no low levels of anything. But I am reactive Hypoglycemic. I guess if you are still suffering with addiction issues, spend some time being introspective. Find out what is the thing your are self medicating. Without identifying the core issue you cannot escape the pattern. I have really had to do some serious soul searching these past few years. Doing so has allowed me to be a more loving person to the people in my life who deserve my best. I have a long way to go, but at least I am more honest with myself. Good luck. If you need someone to IM, feel free.

You indicted that you are shaky and weak after consuming food (your Protein shake). After surgery a few individual's experience reactive hypoglycemia. Here is a link. http://www.weightlosssurgery.ca/before-after-surgery/reactive-hypoglycaemia-post-gastric-bypass/ But generally this condition shows up several months after surgery. If you were diabetic prior to surgery and taking prescription medicine for this condition. And you still are taking medicine to reduce your blood sugar, it might be important to reassess your medicine with your doctor and reduce the level.

UUGGHHH, feeling so disgusted,. not looking for a pity party, just venting.. its been over a yr. since my surgery, and I'm STUCK @ abt a 50lb loss. I just reactivated this acct and see that I am up abt 5lbs since I joined in March,. I've unfollowed people/groups on IG & FB, not that I'm a "hater", (I salute & congratulate everyone)...I just don't see anything in common w them anymore.. (also my nutritionist recommended it to focus on me) my diet is usually: eggs & sausage,avocado for bkfst, lots of protein (mainly chicken) in salads or w sautéed veggies, etc. (have just started the "keto" diet) don't like carbs believe it or not, not that I haven't "cheated" & had sweets here or there, but I'm not a bread/pasta/pastry person (thank God for @ least that I guess) don't wanna go see my Dr anymore, I feel he's not helpful @ all, just recommending a book to follow. #wtf.. and the nutritionist was so/so.. have only met w her once. my low points are not drinking enough water & I'm CONVINCED I can eat too much @ one sitting. I even got a kitchen scale, haven't used it yet though. don't expect what I haven't put in, BUT I don't get why I've stalled so bad if I'm eating pretty well balanced & "clean".. what's the point of the surgery if we still have to follow a "diet" (and by that I do NOT mean I expect to still eat any & every thing that got me fat to begin with bc I don't) thx for listening....

I take hypo thyroid meds and also antidepressant. I got sleeved on Dec. 5th. I have noticed absolutely no changes...everything is fine. My doc has ordered a blood test to make sure all my levels are good.

Hello!! I've had a few episodes of my blood sugar going as low as 45...I am guessing it is reactive hypoglycemia due to symptoms that happen alongside the low number. My questions: 1.anyone else dealing with this? I am almost 18mos out from bypass. 2. What do you eat when you are super low that brings sugars up but not too high, perpetuating the cycle? 3. Once there was a CLEAR reason: I sort of let myself get guilted into eating a slice of birthday cake; but the other times I really don't know what caused the low blood sugars. I am trying to get into a nutritionist but with my work schedule I am having difficulty. Any thoughts or inputs would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!! Sent from my LG-H900 using the BariatricPal App

I would love to go vegetarian but am highly reactive to soy which is problematic to meeting Protein goals. Any suggestions from the vegans? Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

Yes, I do get hungry every few hours and I also get reactive hypoglycemia if I allow too many carbs into my diet. When that happens it can be a vicious circle. Instead of eating 3 regular meals a day, I eat 5 or 6 small meals ensuring I get dense Protein. It does help with feeling hungry inbetween. There are also times when I am truly not hungry but my brain is telling me I need to eat something. I fight that head hunger all the time using distraction. Having gained 7lbs between thanksgiving and now, I have to get myself back on track 100%. I may do a 5 day pouch reset just to help get any sugar out of my system which I think will help with that hunger every few hours.

Hi @@Phoenix40! So last Thursday I went for my Nutrition/Surgeon/Coordinator appointment. I'll describe each appointment below: First you are weighed in and your height is taken Nutrition: The nutritionist is a very nice lady and she will ask you about what type of diet you have been on (I started following the 1200 calorie diet after orientation). You will have to describe what you usually eat for Breakfast, lunch, dinner, Snacks,etc. She also talks about Vitamins and what type you will need post op (this will depend on if you get the sleeve or bypass) and what to expect as far as diet goes in the first weeks after surgery (i.e. liquids, soft foods, etc) She also informed me about the different types of Protein drinks and answered any questions I had. Surgeon: Dr. Hahn was very patient. He went over my BMI, co morbidities, medications, etc to ensure that I would be a good candidate for surgery. He said it would be my choice whether to go for sleeve or bypass as I would be great candidate for either (I don't have acid reflux). We talked about the differences between sleeve and bypass (right off the bat he discouraged from the lap band so we were in agreement about that). He reiterated that regain was possible with either surgery and so is dumping (so it really comes down to the patient being willing to put in the work to not only lose the weight but keep it off). He went into detail about possible complications withe each procedure (ulcers, reactive hypoglycemia, reflux, etc). He then set a weight loss goal for me. Normally they ask the patients to lose 10% of their body weight but Dr. Hahn only requires a 7-8%, of total body weight, loss. For me 7-8% was 19 pounds (I had already lost 9 pounds since orientation and he credited me so I needed to lose 10 pounds to get a surgery date and 5 pounds to get a psych appointment). The only other requirements Dr. Hahn set out for me, besides weight loss, is attending at least one support group, and an EKG (I already finished my bloodwork). Coordinator: She was very pleasant. She informed of what my next steps to surgery are (support group, psych appointment, etc) and that to be sure I call monthly to update them on my weight and progress. Before the psych appointment each patient must fill out a surgery quiz (located in Chapter 9 of the Bariatric binder) and send it in before the appointment. Overrall it was an interesting yet quick appointment. I was told to expect to be there for 3 hours but for me it was more like 2 hours. Sent from my SM-G925T using the BariatricPal App I am also going through kaiser Fremont the haven't weighed me yet .. Did they weigh you at the surgery orientation? I would love to start dieting again I feel awful not doing anything .. but I'm scared if I drop down below the 40 BMI it will disqualify me for the surgery Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

style="margin:0;padding:0;background-color:#d8dde8;color:#5a5a5a;font:normal 13px helvetica, arial, sans-serif;position:relative;"> Hey BariatricPal Members! Merry Christmas, and Happy Hanukah to our Jewish friends! Season’s Greetings for those of you who are not celebrating a holiday now – it’s still a festive time when everyone can enjoy the uplifting spirit around town. As we near the end of a long season of tempting food, you may need a little help getting back on track or staying on track. Here are our offerings. Weight Loss on Christmas? A Personal Challenge Breaking the Slump: Make a Healthy Choice Now! The Holidays, Your Family, and Weight Loss Surgery Hopefully this newsletter can help you keep your weight loss goals in mind and give you a little push to inch closer to hitting them. After reading the newsletter and spending some quality time with your loved ones, don’t forget to head on over to the BariatricPal Forums so you can share your tips and ideas with all of the BariatricPal members! Merry Christmas! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder, BariatricPal Weight Loss on Christmas? A Personal Challenge The weight loss surgery journey itself is a bumpy road, and recent weeks may have been even tougher as the holiday spirit has taken over. High-calorie, fatty, sugary foods have been everywhere, and gift shopping, family obligations, and holiday parties may have been eating into the time you might otherwise have spent exercising or planning healthy meals. So, what do you say to a challenge to lose weight this Christmas? The idea may sound crazy, but it is actually possible if you try hard. Here are our suggestions for a weight loss Christmas Day. Christmas dinner the WLS Way The totals for a full-blown Christmas dinner can be somewhere between staggering and horrifying. You yourself may have indulged in a few such dinners in the past. Between the ham or turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, casseroles, and Desserts, plus some alcohol and a bit of nibbling on appetizers and nuts, you can have 5,000 or more calories on this single day. Yuck – that’s 1.5 pounds of fat! Here is a more reasonable Christmas Day scenario to consider. Breakfast: Festive Protein pancakes with 1 cup sliced strawberries (150 calories) Meet ‘n’ Greet Appetizers 1 cup fresh cut vegetables with yogurt-based dip (100 calories) Red, white, and green Christmas skewers with cherries, peeled apples or pears, and green grapes. (100 calories) chocolate Coated Protein Puffs Soy Snacks (150 calories) Christmas Dinner 3 ounces of ham or skinless turkey or duck breast with mustard (150 calories) Green bean frittata – a high-protein, low-calorie substitute for green bean casserole (100 calories) Green salad with Light Dressing ½ cup pureed sweet potatoes sprinkled lightly with crushed pecans and sugar (or honey or low-calorie sugar substitute) (200 calories) 1 medium baked apple with cinnamon, served with light or sugar-free whipped topping (150 calories) Later Snacks Protein Cocoa or Mocha (100 calories) 1/2 ounce mixed nuts (100 calories) (Don’t forget to use coupon code BPNEWSLETTER10 for a 10% discount of your first order!) Savor Your Treat Don’t forget to leave room for a treat. That’s right, even WLS patients deserve a treat. Just make sure: It’s one that you really, really want. You can tolerate it (some treats are too sugary or fatty for your post-op digestive system, and even a small serving can make you feel sick). You take only a small amount and count the calories. In the sample Christmas Day menu shown above, there is room for another 200 to 400 calories from your treat while still staying under 1,500 to 1,800 for the day. Those calories can get you any two of the following: A half-cup of mashed potatoes with gravy. A half-cup of bread or rice-based stuffing. A 1-inch sliver of pecan, pumpkin, or another kind of pie. A small square of fudge. A small dinner roll with a pat of butter. A half-cup of eggnog. Get Moving, for So Many Reasons It’s a busy day, but surely you can find a few minutes to get in a short walk or workout. There are so many reasons to get moving in the morning or during the day. Burn calories and boost metabolism. Keep yourself motivated as you notice how good it feels to get moving rather than eat. Take time away from the food because when you are walking, you are not eating. Bond with your children, nieces, or nephews; with your out of town relatives; or with your significant other. Breaking the Slump: Make a Healthy Choice Now! One bad day of eating does not make a habit, but a six-week period does. A skipped workout or two doesn’t get you out of shape, but a month of inactivity makes you sluggish. A single bad weigh-in is no cause for alarm, but a few weeks of climbing numbers is reason to take heed. The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas can put you in a weight loss slump. Over time, your can get weaker and those poor decisions can get easier. While a bite of a cookie might have made you feel guilty in early November, the whole cookie and a second one may be par for the course now. Snap out of it! It is time to get out your slump. If the thought of reversing all those bad habits at once is too much, take heart. You can put yourself on the right path with a single decision. One good decision can increase your confidence and lead to more good decisions. You could: Make your own 200-calorie Breakfast sandwich with Protein Pancakes, a fat-free slice of cheese, and egg whites instead of hitting the drive-through for a 500-calorie breakfast biscuit. Schedule a short walk with a neighbor – no backing out! Log your food for a day, no matter how bad you know the numbers will be. Step on the scale if you’ve been avoiding it. How will you break your slump? The Holidays, Your Family, and Weight Loss Surgery As hard as the food and lifestyle around the holidays may be for you as a weight loss surgery patient, your family can make things even harder. You can prevent them from knocking you off your game by being prepared for what to expect and how to handle it. Problem: Pressure to Go Off Your Diet Saying no is just one of those things you have to learn how to do in life. Refusing your relatives’ offer of freshly baked Christmas bread or Christmas Cookies made “just for you” is difficult. They may feel that you are rejecting them. Practicing ahead of time can help. A simple, “No, thanks” can do wonders, and it leaves no room for argument. You could elaborate with variations such as “No, thanks, I’m not hungry,” “No, thanks, my doctor says I can’t eat that anymore,” or, “Not right now, thanks. It’s already great to get to see you!” Problem: Unwanted Comments on Your Weight or Weight Loss If you got your WLS in the past year, you may have dropped several pounds since relatives from out of town saw you. They may be overly reactive to your weight loss. Or, they could have the opposite reaction and say something discouraging about how they expected you to lose more weight by now. Whatever they say, do not let them throw you off your game. Problem: Lack of Acceptance of Your WLS They are not living your life, and they do not know exactly what you have gone through. A lack of understanding about what WLS is and how a WLS lives can inspire negative comments. You can choose to ignore them, or try to explain your WLS to them. You can also try to include them in your routine, such as inviting them on a walk or asking for their help in your kitchen while they’re in town. You can grow closer and develop a better understanding. Again, Happy Holidays! Enjoy this special time with family and friends, and make it a safe and healthy time for yourself and your loved ones. Thanks for spending some time with the newsletter, and we look forward to seeing you on the forums! · Unsubscribe from all BariatricPal E-Mail.

I don't dump either. I do have a reactive hypoglycemic though, which makes my blood sugar spike than crash....so, I try to be very careful with sugars. I passed out once from low blood sugar since my surgery, and I really don't want that to happen again. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I was on insulin for 30 years pre surgery. I was still on it after surgery for 3 1/2 months and while the initial weight loss was rapid, like you it slowed down way too soon. Then I talked my doc into letting me go off insulin and on to metformin plus foxigia (both of which have a side effect of some weight loss). Because I was no longer on insulin I was able to safely follow a low carb diet without worrying about hypos (metformin and forxigia don't usually cause hypos). In the 6 or 7 weeks since I stopped insulin the weight has fallen off me about 13 pounds) and last week I stopped taking Forxigia since I don't seem to need it on a low carb diet. I am also cutting down my metformin with the aim to be off it by the new year if not before. So to answer your question ... yes insulin does slow down weight loss. Talk to your endo about swapping it for metformin plus forxigia and a low carb diet ... just don't go too low carb whilst on insulin because of the risk of hypos. if your endo is anything like mine he will be more than happy to let you give it a try and see what happens.

To me this is a double edged sword: damn if I do and damn if I don't. When I am experiencing insomnia, if I can't fall asleep till early morning hours, I get hungry .... dinner was at 8pm, and at 2-3am, if still awake, I get hungry, so I need to snack on something. I try to make it healthy, but still, it makes this an extra meal. So, too high a dose of Thyroxine is not good for me, even if it seems I keep losing weight or inches. When I experienced hypo stage, after my med was reduced by 50%, I was hungry lot more, I slept better but my weight stayed the same .... So, no good either I haven't sleep walked, but yes, it is scary stuff. I keep having 6 weekly blood tests, at 9 months post op. I had them done monthly till about 4 months ago. @@shedo82773 I would definitely have blood tests done again, since you said you have been on the same thyroid med dose for years.

I've had at least 4-5 Thyroxine adjustments since my surgery in March 2016. Been suffering from insomnia ever since. Still have regular, 6 weekly blood tests. 3 months ago, my Endo recommended halving my dose, from 100mcg to 50mcg. I slept OK, but got very blah, no energy, loads of allergies and hay fever and bad headaches, plus my weight loss stopped. I was told that my results were "normal", but I could see the "normal range is quite wide, and I was towards the top of the "normal" range. So, I started on a mixed dose. Worked OK, really well for few weeks, had loads more energy, now I get hyper symptoms again, not as bad as many months ago, but my insomnia got worse again, and I have been getting hot again with racing pulse. I was taking 50mcg for 4 days, then 100mcg for 3 days. Waiting for results from my latest blood test. I may need to take 50mcg for 5-6 days, and 100mcg for 1-2 days. I will know next week. My hypo was created by having RAI mid last year, as I have Graves Disease and was very hyper-thyroid. Been on Thyroxine since January 2016. I have read a lot about other thyroid meds, more natural, NDTs, but at this stage I find them very expensive here, in Australia. Hope this dose adjustment roller-coaster will stop soon, really over it by now. Good luck and best wishes to us all!

I take both T3 and T4 for my hypo and after the rny I have been waking up all the time during the night. I'm still cold and I haven't lost much weight either. Nilla

@@rose1504 Definitely get your Thyroid checked, and not just TSH and T4, but T3 as well. I have Graves Disease (autoimmune thyroid disease), this kept me slim my whole life, till 2014 when it did 180 degree turn, and I was piling on weight at a frightening speed. I went from 60kg to 101kg between 2014 and March 2016. I also developed astonishing sweet cravings during that time, which made a mess of me. Graves is Hyper-thyroid. I had every symptom of this disease, except of bulging eyes and goitre. There is also Hypo-thyroid (under-active), Hashimotos etc which also can really mess with metabolism and general well being. Good luck @@rose1504 I hope you don't have thyroid disease, as I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy ...... Had my both ear Daiths pierced 3 weeks ago, to see if they would help my thyroid migraines and severe headaches. They (the acupressure point piercings) helped me tremendously! I was living almost daily on very strong pain killers. Now, I don't take them, and so those piercings really helped me. I have a huge stock of heavy duty pain killers at home, and now I forget all about them. So, Good Luck with all your tests. Please let us know how you went.

I'm 6 years out and No complications. Like others mentioned, GERD and Vitamin deficiencies are the most common long term complications of VSG I saw in my support group. GERD can usually be controlled with medication and diet, but sometimes requires revision to bypass. I have yet to meet anyone that developed vitamin deficiencies that were taking the required supplements and having bloodwork done regularly. Much less common long term complications that I've seen in my support group through the years were dumping (although much more common with bypass and usually controllable with diet) and reactive hypoglycemia. There were far more long term complications in my group for people with Lapband or any of the bypasses.

I'm hypo had surgery Oct 25th and I'm down 32 lbs. Sent from my SM-G900R4 using the BariatricPal App

the hypoglycemic complication is not very common statistically which is good That being said, I hve to eat every 2.5-3 hours or I start getting hypo symptoms and fast. Now that I added a few easy carbs, I'm doing better. I'm having to check my sugars 5-6 times a day especially since I'm still on a dose of long acting insulin but I'm off three of my four diabetes meds and I was sleeved the 24th of October!! Sugars are awesome!

I'm diabetic already and it's drastically improved sine surgery two weeks ago... Lows are common but some ppl do develop hypoglycemia after sleeve as a complication Definitely talk to your NUT about it but eating a few light carbs can help or slow burning carbs like Beans and peas etc. I'm using Melba toast or wasa crackers with My tuna and hummus, fills me up, keeps me satisfied and not feeling so dizzy and hypo like I was when I was doing Protein only. Definitely check your blood sugar especially if you feel symptoms and if you're scared of oh they have these not so great tasting glucose tablet chewables you can buy at the drug store for a few bucks in different flavors and they boost your glucose up quickly

Thanks everyone. I went to PCP today and I am Hypo. I start on meds tomorrow morning. I have psychologist appt 12/1 and surgeon 12/6. Really hoping this doesn't prolong surgery. Sent from my Z988 using the BariatricPal App

Has anybody tried adding Fiber to their food/shakes? I am 5 weeks post op, approved for all foods, but dont really have room for high fiber foods after getting the Protein in. I would prefer a premptive approach rather than a reactive one as I am worried about treatments "kicking in" during inopertune times like meetings, driving etc. HW 385 SW 359 CW 335 (50lbs down!) Sleeved 10/5/16

Attached is a link to the condition that you are experiencing. It is very technical. http://spectrum.diabetesjournals.org/content/25/4/217 Here is another article but much less technical. It also has a good discussion on treatment and prevention. https://www.ridgeviewmedical.org/services/bariatric-weight-loss/enewsletter-articles/reactive-hypoglycemia-postgastric-bypass/

Yes. It is called reactive hypoglycemia and it is common post RNY. It happens when you introduce too many simples or if you dont eat often enough. I have had to switch to 5 or 6 small meals a day vs 3 or it happens more frequently. A few times my sugar got so low I did not know what was happening to me and if you eat sugar to get your glucose up, it will simply happen again an hour later. It is really important to catch it early and ensure you eat Protein.....it happens more frequently if I choose to have cream of wheat for Breakfast and dont follow it an hour later with a Protein shake.

I had hypothyroid and found out three years ago it was actually Hashimotos. I'll be symptomatic when numbers are in range. Ask for an antibody test. As for sleep, the Vitamin Patches in the store of this app sell a sleep patch that is wonderful. Also my thyroid is super reactive to soy which is in a lot of the high Protein foods and also reactive to cruciferous veggies because of toxins. Try removing soy and going organic on veggies for a week. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

@@RJrocks Hmmm. there must be actual science but not sure of where to point you to reference info. My dr. said it, people here say it, etc. There is a window of time that is called the Honeymoon period where, no matter what you do, you seem to lose weight. You just have to make sure to keep following the program because you need to create good habits that will carry you through when the magic stops. And it stops. Not necessarily completely but, yes, the old struggle appears. The hunger hormone seems to get reactivated and, as my doctor says, it can be a real beast! Especially because we aren't all expecting it. But it does come back Big time!