Search the Community

A couple of nights ago I awoke at 2 am to go to the bathroom. On a whim, after I was done I stepped on the bathroom scale…to find that I have lost 100 lbs since the start of my pre-op diet; and 90 lbs since surgery on May 22, 2013. I had a hard time going back to sleep I was so excited! I want to lose (I think) about 39 to 44 more. I will be a healthy BMI for my height when I lose 20 more, so I will reevaluate then. I cannot describe the mindf*** having reached this goal is! I knew it would be though….I had faith I’d get here, and yet I am still shocked that I got here. I’ve worked hard, but because of so many failed attempts in my past, the fact that my hard work is actually paying off this time is mind blowing. I am thrilled beyond belief and am filled with wonderment! I need to post before and after pics maybe -- just to help me wrap my head around this. I can’t believe I’ve lost 100 lbs. I can’t believe I weighed 100 more lbs than I do now just 8 months ago. I still feel like me, so how can this be? I do feel SO much better. I feel totally different and very much the same – all at this same time! It is so bizarre. I feel so different in all good ways, and very much the same, also in all the good ways. All the clothes that were once too small for me are now too big. The size 12’s I got so that I could shrink into them, now all of a sudden are too big, and I think “How can this be? What is this strange phenomenon? “ LOL The holidays were an interesting learning experience for me. I got to “onederland” the morning of Thanksgiving, which was Nov 28. Between that day and Dec 30, a month later, I had lost only 4 lbs. Don’t get me wrong, I do see the value in losing 4 lbs, especially during the holidays, when in years past that was a major gain time. But it was a significant slow down from recent months. Over the holidays, I had alcohol, I had sweets, I had bread – no never in large quantities, but I loosened the reigns compared to how I have been eating. I also during this time did not always follow the “protein first “ rule, and I sometimes sipped a beverage with my food. I did all of this mindfully, fully aware of what I was doing, I went slow so as not to over do it, but I was definitely “celebrating” -- I was doing so to enjoy the family holiday meals and such. I knew the consequences would be slow weight loss and/or maintaining. But it was MY decision and I was in complete control. Ah, it was so liberating. I believe I have seen a glimpse of what maintenance might be like when I reach goal. I feel strong, ….and I feel taller I was doing some Pilates on the living room floor the other night and my husband came in. He admired me for a minute and then said “My wife has nice long legs” and I just giggled and said “They’re getting longer all the time!” Nowadays when I take the dog out for a hike, I sometimes jog for half of it. ME. I freekin jog. Unheard of! And really, aside from just being more active in general, I have not started any kind of hard-core grueling exercise routine. I don’t go to the gym, I don’t watch a clock that says I have done cardio for x minutes. I happily take my dog out & frolic a bit until my heart rate goes up, and sometimes, just because my body feels good and strong and happy, I do some Pilates-type moves on the living room floor. I suppose I may need to incorporate more formal or stringent exercise into my life as some kind of routine as I try to get closer to goal. It’s certainly not a BAD idea. But my point is, I haven’t had to break my neck to get to this point. I’ve just naturally started wanting to do more and more. And that, my friends, is what I believe is a true life style change. Hooray! So yes, I am happy. And yes, I have faith that I will achieve my goals. What do I look forward to most? Getting to goal and being there long enough that THAT is my reality, not a novelty. I want people to just know my at my healthy weight in my healthy life style, and not think of me as the girl who lost all that weight. I am so ready to have this be the rest of my life. Onward!

Amy, I am so sorry you are having to go through this. There are no words, I can come up with to make it instantly better, or believe me I would. I have been divorced...it was devastating, it hurt for the actual loss of the marriage, but also the loss of the dream of what I had thought marriage would be. My divorce was a first for our family... My Grandma used to tell me that in order to make anything change you had to change something. She told me this as I complained of issues around my own divorce. But slowly I began to understand. So I started changing small things. Things as simple at the time, as changing where I ate fast food. We always did BK together, so I wouldn't go there, I went elsewhere. We always bought groceries at a certain place, or had the car serviced at a certain place, I changed that. Our Christmas tree had always had the same color coordinated decorations...I did it MY way...in my places. It was a conscious decision, to CHANGE things, no matter how small. I slept on PINK sheets, he hated pink! I searched for ways to make my life happy. I took some non credit community courses at the college, I made an effort to visit friends and family. Not go to dinner, or anything other than to just spend time visiting with them. I kept busy. It was hard at first finding things to do, but they are out there. One of the first things I got involved in was with a group who were working to save and restore an older park in our town. I met a lot of people, and count many of them as friends to this day. A good friend who had been divorced herself told me "the best revenge you can get is to have a good, happy life, without him." She was so right. I no longer feel a need for revenge, or to "show" him, but can't help but be pleased with myself when I compare the lives we now have. He went for many years with the new, young, thin wife, bigger house, kids....but now, he is divorced yet again,living with a fellow alcoholic, and has nothing to call his own....he lives in her small trailer, drives her car, is just somewhat pathetic. I know all of this because the fellow alcholic he lives with was one of my best friends for years until her drinking was just too much for me. I look back and feel lucky that I was given a chance to have a better life, and I took that chance. I hope you do too. Give yourself time to grieve, but keep in mind, that someone who would do this to you, is not someone you really want to spend the rest of your life with. You deserve better, and you will find it. Work your band, and work your life to suit YOU....you will survive and be a better person than you could have ever been with him dragging you down. Good Luck, and don't forget when you need to cry, whine, moan or just plain bi#$h about life, we are here, and will offer any support we can! Kat

Do you think you are retaining water right now? Is it your TOM or have you eaten something salty or drank an alcohol drink in the past day or so. Any of these things could make you retain water and that can make the band feel tighter. In any case, I've heard its best to go on clear liquids only when you are experiencing trouble like this to see if you can get the swelling to go down. Every time you try to eat something solid right now or even the protein drink, you are making the swelling worse. If after being on clear liquids only for a couple days, if it doesn't get better, then you gotta go see your doctor. Or, if you are miserable right now, certainly go to your doctor right now. Good luck to you and I hope you feel better soon.

I waited about a year, until I got a good handle on my weight loss and new lifestyle, and got to know my band and how to "Listen" to it. Then once I understood and was comfortable with everything, I began to reintroduce many things, including alcohol.... I also drink beer. and other carbonated drinks...but i understand how to do it now. There were more important things to deal with than alcohol within the first year.

I don't want to sound like I'm whining, but I have given up most all other bad vices. I stopped using tobacco products 11 years ago, I haven't had a drink of anything alcohol in 12 years. I even stopped drinking soda pop 4 months ago. Other than my weight and not getting enough excercise I live fairly healthy. My lap-band surgery is on 11-25-08, and amoung all the other things to prepare I'm told I have to give up coffee, and all other caffine products. All this time I thought coffee was a guiltless pleasure that I truely enjoy. I don't know how I can function, especially without that afternoon pick-me-up. I tried going cold turkey, but the headaches and withdrawl symptoms were incredable. I have weaned my self down to 2 cups of Dark or French Roast a day. Anyone have any suggestions, or advice.

I have no idea...but maybe lay off the alcohol for a couple of weeks and see if it helps. The alcohol may be too harsh for the small pouch we have, I have heard it is easily irritated. If that doesn't help, it sounds like it might be time to check with the old doc! I just re-read, and the location of your pain is questionable, about it being band related....give us some more info....are you male or female? That is the big one!!! Because pregnancy, sexual issues, etc....would hinge on that all important boy or girl ????!!! Also, with the band our diets change so drastically it often leads to constipation etc.----maybe something related to that? Kat

Not following the eating and behavioral WLS instructions re what and how WLS patients should eat post-op obviously hasn't stopped some people from losing all their excess weight and maintaining that weight loss -- as evidenced by some posts above. But it seems clear that those "independent" folks have indeed reduced considerably the amount of food and the calories they ate pre-op. But this "independent" approach to navigating WLS is disastrous for others -- particularly those who have diagnosable eating disorders, who can't stop drinking significant amounts of "liquid calories" (think sweet tea, sugar sodas, high-calorie coffee drinks, sugary alcoholic drinks, beer, etc.), who snack continuously ("graze") on "slider foods" (those foods that have lots of carbs, are heavily processed and have little Fiber in them, and that move rapidly through the stomach into the intestines -- leaving the stomach empty and wanting more). I don't think it's a question of proving one's "worthiness" for surgery. I think if you have eating disorders and/or horrific eating habits pre-op that you know you're still going to be challenged by post-op you really will have to build some very different new habits and tools. One of those additional tools IMHO is the support and guidance of a therapist who knows what bariatric patients are struggling with and can support the changes you're trying to make in your lifestyle. None of us is guaranteed an excellent result post-op. But we can increase the odds of our success if we know our own personal challenges and try to reduce the risk of failure by pushing all the success levers we possibly can.

Hi all. I had my surgery on October 11th at Shawnee Mission Medical Center in Kansas City under the care of Stan Hoehn. Day of surgery: Surgery at 10:30 am. I woke up in a lot of pain in my abdomen. The original recovery room pain meds didn’t help. The next meds they tried caused an allergic reaction - rash, trouble breathing, inability to focus, nausea. It took hours to convince the nurse that the Dilaudid was a problem. In retrospect, as I am allergic to morphine, I can’t believe they gave me a morphine derivative and then denied I was having a reaction, but that is having a bad nurse vs. a good nurse, I suppose. For the record, all of my other nurses and CAs were the best and truly a great group of healthcare professionals. The Demerol that they finally put me on (about 7:30 pm) gave me a bit of itching around my eyes and nose, but was far more tolerable. I was able to suck on ice chips, take a walk around the unit, and sleep pretty comfortably. Day 1 Post-op: Felt great, was doing great with all tests and measurements. Able to start Clear liquids. Every bite felt like I was filling my stomach with air – uncomfortable but not painful. Started taking Lortab Elixir. It tastes terrible, but it was nice to get away from the powerful drugs. Went home moving well and optimistic. Took my everyday meds (Wellbutrin,Kariva, and Zantac) and went to bed around 10 pm. Woke around 12:30 am feeling crazy nauseous and vomited repeatedly – very painful. Woke again at 3:30 am for another round. I was in so much pain and so nauseous that I could not get the Loratab down. Day 2 Post-op: Spent entire day in bed. It was almost too painful to get up to use the restroom. Too scared to take Loratab in case itmade me vomit again. Too nauseous to eat or drink, though I forced myself toget in 25 oz of Water before bed. A frightening, dismal day. Realized that I was not supposed to begin taking the Kariva or Zantac right away, so that was probably the cause. Day 3 Post-op: Called the doctor because I was so sick thatI was barely able to get anything down, including water. They prescribed an anti-nausea medication that dissolves on your tongue – took one and haven’t been sick to my stomach since! Still sore from vomiting, but feeling 100% better after getting the script filled and taken. Easily get my water and Protein minimums met. Took a 15 minute walk around the neighborhood and then took a nap. Day 4-6 Post-op: Energy is great and pain management is easy with liquid ibuprofen or Tylenol. Having soreness in my back, but probably due to too much sitting around. Was able to do household shopping and light cleaning around the house. Able to bend easily to scoop litter boxes, vacuum,and any other task that doesn’t require heavy lifting or pulling. Eating hasbeen an adventure. Protein shakes and liquids in general are no trouble. More solid things are hit and miss – pureed shrimp was okay, but salmon caused sliming. And sliming is no fun, but not painful, thank goodness. String cheese was fine once but not tonight. Hummus, eggs, avocado/yogurt Soup, and refried Beans have been no trouble. I find I am able to take one biteof just about anything and I am fine as long as I chew, chew, chew. And, ofcourse, I’m not trying anything outside of my nutritional guidelines. On the downside, I can’t tell when I am full, so I have been tying to keep all portions at about ¼ cup, as that seems to work without making me slime. Starting tomorrow, I need to really up my protein and water intake, so that might be a challenge as I feel like I have something in my mouth all the time already. LOL Hunger is mostly gone, but head hunger is alive and well. Dr. Hoehn prescribes a self-injected medicine called arixtra to help prevent blood clots. We must inject ourselves once a day for seven days following surgery. I was dreading this and was pleased to find that it is so easy and painless. Swab some tummy fat with an alcohol prep pad, pinch, and jab. The needle is so fine that I haven't felt it even a little. Believe me, super, duper easy. I see my doctor tomorrow to have the staples removed. I’m hoping to be cleared for a bath as I dearly love soaking in the tub. I've been showering, of course. I just miss my bathtub. Otherwise, I feel very much on track. I’m using myfitnesspal.com to keep track of every bite and that is so helpful. I am “hswelch” there if anyone would like to find me there.

Wine is full of sugar and carbs. Most surgeons and nutritionist will tell you to stay away from wine or any alcohol. I'm surprised you were told it's okay. Alcohol enters sure system faster after WLS and you don't feel the effects for very long but it does stay in your system like normal and shows it blood tests or breathalizers. So I would say use your better judgment if it's worth it and those empty calories.

I was told by my surgeon no alcohol for the 1st year.

Just wondering, i have pain in my lower abdomen, is this normal. I also have a constant feeling of discomfort, what is the problem with me. i do drink alcohol could that be it?

Ah, crackers! They're much more challenging for me than alcohol, sugar or chocolate combined. Most crackers are unnutritious, processed slider foods that do not promote either weight loss or weight maintenance and invite me to keep nibbling on them. However, once I'd lost my weight and wanted to add nutritious calories for maintenance I found a few nutritious crackers with more Protein and Fiber (fewer net carbs) than others, including: * Wasa crackers (although not all Wasa-branded crackers are nutritious -- read the labels!) * Doctor Kracker Three Seed Crackers -- my fave. One big cracker has 100 calories, 11 grams of carbs, 4 grams of fat, 5 grams of protein, and 3 grams of fiber. I pair one of these crackers with 1 ounce of very sharp thinly sliced full-fat cheddar cheese and a little sugar-free Smuckers strawberry jam. I swear, it's better than cheesecake -- so satisfying and, best, I never want a second helping. Then there are those nasty crackers so popular because ... yeah, they're slider meth with little nutritional content: * Wheat Thins * Saltines * Club crackers And then there's the destructive chips / crisps transfer addiction! I can't even type those words without shuddering.

No worries, you have to stay focused on the positives and remember why you chose the surgery you did. As they say in Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, this too shall pass. This pain and discomfort you are in is only temporary. As far as the protein, my favorite is the Peanut Butter. I have also tried the chocolate shake and the strawberries and cream. Peanut Butter is the best, then chocolate and then strawberry. I make mine with almond milk and it is really good, they also mix really easily and you can make them in a blender bottle.

I like Atkins bars. No sugar and high in protein. Very low in sugar alcohols. Right now I am eating 1 Atkins Chocolate Oatmeal Fiber bar every day. It has 10 grams of Fiber, 6 grams of protein. Most Atkins bars have 10-15 grams of protein, but right now I need the fiber.

Don't throw in the towel.... pre-op is tough, but the de-carbing is, in my opinion, the most important so that your body will burn the fat around the liver so that the doctor can access your stomach. Here's my experience: I was banded March 20th. Post-op for two weeks, I was barely hungry because my stomach is still aggitated. By week three, i was eating pretty much normally again (despite the fact i should have still been on mushies.) with no restriction in the band, my consumption pretty much resumed to its normal rate. I wasn't worried and didn't feel guilty because i knew it would work eventually. First fill, yes, had some restriction but not enough. Second fill, which is where i am now - much much better. the band will FORCE you to slow down, take smaller bites, make different choices, stay satisfied longer. Otherwise you will feel ill. I may not be losing as fast as some (down 13 pounds) but my challenge is alcohol - i am very social, and that is part of my life. So even without having to take that away, i'm still losing weight.

In my program they recommend we stay away from it always, but that it won't be horrible to Celebrate those extremely special occasions (weddings, etc...) every once in a while with a glass of wine. I went out and celebrated not too long back and found unlike what others mentioned above, I did not get to experience the "cheap date" effect. As the night wore on I had 6 or 7 drinks and they really had little effect on me, just like they would have at my heaviest. I do think this was the reason for a week-long stall right afterwards, but since I don't plan to make it a regular occurrence I don't know that for sure. Just like so much of this journey, it sounds like each of our bodies is different when it comes to alcohol now as well.

Hi, I'm on Day 4 on the same diet. The first few days were awful. I experienced all the same things you did. It was awful! But today it seems like it's getting better. I told my friends that I've never gone through detox but it reminds me of what alcoholics and drug addicts go through when they are trying to get clean. Not as bad I'm sure but it is withdrawel. Anyway I hope that it is getting better for you too. They told me that I could have as much broth as I wanted. I have been heating it up in a coffee cup and having that with my "meals" and that seems to help a little.

I am at the stage in life where I divide everything into two categories: my problem - not my problem. If it's my problem I fix it. If it's not my problem I don't worry about it. When you do this life becomes very simple. I avoid toxic people. I avoid negative people. I don't tolerate whining well. I have a list of coping skills on my bulletin board. When I feel I need food to cope I read through the list first. Be realistic Get perspective on the problem Be optimistic Give up perfectionism Meditate Reflect Think Relax Journal This will not last for ever Create positive energy Talk to yourself Talk to others Visualize One thing at a time Exercise or engage in physical activity Hobbies Do something you enjoy Look to the future Make healthy lifestyle choices Eat less, decrease caffeine, decrease alcohol Sleep, exercise, seek balance Share feelings, talk Use groups Use your relationships Love, support, guidance Give in, be flexible Go easy on the criticism of self and others Change your reaction to the situation Change your thinking Change your feelings Change your behavior Get help Get professional help

I have an occasional glass of wine with no ill affects. Sugar is my drug, not alcohol.

Are you lactose intolerant? It honestly sounds like dumping to me. I had it just last night cuz I chose to have a crappy dinner instead of my planned dinner. Sucked. It sounds exactly like reactive hypoglycemia and some of the sugar alcohols cause this same reaction in bari-patients.

Hey everyone! I cant believe a year has flown by so fast. I know when I was pre-op I used to seek out these threads to read other's experiences, so I wanted to share mine too. My start weight was 277 the day I scheduled the consult for bariatric surgery, and I was 255 the day of surgery. The first 3 months were a bit of a whirlwind. I dropped 20 pounds in the first month, and I thought it would stay that fast, boy was that some realistic thinking on my part. As real food was reintroduced during my second month I learned what the foamies were...oh my goodness, so not fun. I lost 10 pounds during month two and I remember feeling discouraged and having to reassess my motivation for this surgery. Having to remind myself that this was a change for the rest of my life and that it was okay if the weight didn't just fly off, because if I kept working with my body, then my body would have no choice but to become healthy. The next month I lost 9 pounds and learned that if I didn't chew my food really, really well, that it could get stuck and hurt like hell until it made me vomit. This was not a fun time, but alas I learned, and learned relatively;y quickly. Month 4 came and two things of note happened. I lost 5 pounds and felt confused and a little lost as to what was happening with my body. Also, my hair started falling out like there was no tomorrow! That became my new normal for awhile. 5 pounds a month, hair falling out. Somewhere around 8 months out my hair loss stabilized, but by then I had lost about 2/3rds of the volume I had. Biotin never helped, but I took it from the day I was cleared to begin vitamins post op. Around March I was 6 months post op and I had my first month with no loss, where I actually gained. I was aghast. I had this weird feeling like I wasn't going to get where I needed to be unless I started working harder. So that was the point where I finally changed. I started counting every macro, and working out 3 days a week in April. Initially walking and increasing in length/intensity. That was the beginning of my adventure into exercise. I currently run/walk in intervals a 5k a minimum of 4 times a week. I have never felt stronger or more alive. I was the girl who only ran when chased, I had no idea that underneath all that weight was a body that felt happy when it ran. A brain that felt at peace when it focused on my breathing. I'm still losing at the rate of 5 pounds a month, total weight loss since March of 2016 is 110 pounds. Biggest change has been my brain. I stopped worrying about the scale. It goes down because I'm living the way I am supposed to be. It doesn't have to be big numbers, because this is the way I live my life now. I don't know if that makes sense anywhere except inside my head, but I hope you get it. I only this week made it into the "overweight" bmi category and I have 27 more pounds to go before I am considered to be of a healthy weight. Loose skin? Yep! I'm not even mad about it. To be honest I didn't expect as much on my thighs and thought most of it would be around my midsection, but it's everywhere. I don't think it will ever bother me enough to have it removed, but only the future knows for sure. Dumping. Now to be fair I had my gallbladder removed a few years prior to gastric bypass surgery, so I already had issues with dumping. Bile buildup has a laxative effect on me. If I go more than 12 hours without eating, then just a sip of water can send me running to the bathroom. Fats don't typically bother me and I avoid sugar because I don't like the way it feels when my insulin spikes and then drops. It's scary and not fun. I get fuzzy and light headed, my stomach feels blah and my heart races. I'm human though and I challenge my biology on occasion. Ice cream doesn't love me anymore. It melts in my pouch and foams back up and just feels like it's sitting at the top of my esophagus and making me burp little foamy ice cream burps...I think the only reason I am okay with halo top is because the sugar alcohols scare me enough that I only ever eat a tiny bit because I don't want to live in my bathroom lol. Support systems! These are so important. My spouse is amazing. He's my biggest cheerleader and my companion in all things, including exercise! Make sure the people in your life only want what's best for you. Current diet is low carb (under 20 grams a day) moderate protein (60-80 grams) and moderate fat. This will likely be how I eat the rest of my life and I am okay with that. When I do consume more sugar, my brain starts to crave sweets and I feel like I have to fight with myself. For me personally it's not worth it anymore. That last sentence is a huge nsv for me. It's so weird and amazing/awesome to be nearing 40 and finally feeling like I'm not powerless to food anymore.

Next weekend I have an annual girls weekend at the lake. Yes, this includes alcoholic beverages. Maybe a few. Before surgery the only thing I drank was beer. Has anyone had beer post surgery? I'm afraid of the carbonation. Any other beverage options? I'm not a wine drinker.

I would wait until 6 weeks. I drink a few beers a week now, and have since 3 months out. You will get there. You are healing now! Way too soon to pour alcohol on that fresh staple line.

I have a Vegas trip 6 weeks after my surgery I'm wondering if I can have a drink. Obviously not carbonated but an alcoholic one.

I am 6 months post op and had my first drink 3 months post-op. Yes, it does hit you faster, but it certainly wears off faster too. I can have two vodka drinks and feel pretty tipsy, but one hour later I am stone cold sober. My surgeon said the biggest concern with alcohol is the empty calories and transfer addiction. I am pretty much a weekend drinker and I haven't had to change my lifestyle much, I just had to give it up for a while. I do stay away from beer though because of the carbonation, and obviously sugary drinks are too high calorie.