Search the Community

Please share! Today I took a bike ride. How long I've neglected my body and pretended it didn't exist. I hid it and was ashamed of it. I put it behind closed doors and fed it garbage and didn't move it. I pumped it full of pharmaceuticals and acted like it wasn't part of me. My spirit was dying and I didn't care. I didn't understand that my body and my spirit are connected. Until I began to care for my body and heal it, I had no interest in healing my spirit. I only cared about how I felt at any given moment. If I felt nervous, I had to fix my nervousness. If I felt happy, I had to pump up my happiness so it wouldn't end. I didn't understand that these reactive impulses were not benefiting me. They were survival techniques but I didn't know I was merely surviving from one feeling to another. Today I look at and care for and watch and pamper and plan for and decorate and embrace my body. I find myself wanting to do the same for my spirit. I'm understanding that they go together. It's not a task on a check off list. It's a change in perception and awareness. How many times have I said that nothing will change unless everything changes? I know it in my head. Now I feel it in my body, and I sense it in my spirit. How do you feed your soul?

Kat - Hi! I'm doing good since last fill. Just staying quite and trying to stay caught up with all the posts. I had red spots on my tongue before - they said I had strep throat that wasn't treated and spreads - I have a thyroid condition - hypo (under-active) -all they ever did was blood test to check hormone levels -- I hope all is okay there. Judy - Fantastic pictures - WOW the boat is HUGE! Pamela - WOW - you look fantastic! Terri - hope you are having fun! Have a good day everyone!

Hey girls----Happy 2008 to you all! We had a blast! Saw lots of old friends, and danced the night away! Rick is sometimes a bit iffy about dancing, but he told me "I thought this is what you wanted to do" and we danced all night. Sometimes I forget how much I love snuggling close to him and looking into his eyes! I too had a bit too much to drink----enough that the bright white of the monitor kept me away from the computer all day!!! And my grandson come over today, and threw a wall eyed fit, and ended up making himself throw up----that almost had me joining him!!! Now I feel pretty good, but it is going to be an early night, we were up til early morning! All day long though, we look at each other and say what a good time we had! Sorry Denise and Laura--hate that you are sick!!! Sounds to me like a virus Denise...I have never heard of the band causing bowel issues once the liquid in - liquid out phase. Michelle you looked beautiful! Well you always do, but you glowed, as you should have with limo's and ball gowns!!! Me I wore jeans!!! Tight jeans! Jeans that felt like I looked good in them! And a silky black/white/gold print top, with a black lace border, and a deep V neck, and black boots. I have to say it was a night of NSV's. I saw people I hadn't seen in awhile, the compliments were ego boosting for sure! But the biggest thing I noticed, was dancing with Rick, he would rub his hand up my back, and I didn't flinch thinking he was feeling the fat rolls. Instead I felt sleek in the top! And he would wrap his arms around me for a kiss following the dance, and I felt like I fit in there---custom made---didn't feel like he was stretching to get his arms around me anymore. I was not worried about being the biggest woman there, I was not worried about people looking at me when we went out onto the dance floor! A few times we were even the first ones out there! My friends it was an eye opening, heart opening night. I celebrated my smaller fanny off!! 2 years ago, I could not ever conceive the thought of feeling normal, and sexy again in this manner. I love my Billy Bandass Band!!!!!!!!!! Pamela--glad your dinner ended up being worth it! I would have been shocked too! Sounds like you danced for your exercise yesterday too!!! I will be glad to do the daily tip---when it is my turn don't forget to remind me! LOL I agree, that they not only need to be about diet per se, but to be about bettering our lives,and our health. Isn't someone going to monitor our Water too??? I did lots of tea today--rehydrating!!! My first one reactivated my whiskey though!! Oh my......lol! Well I am off to a bubble bath once I check off my email. Will be back to see all of you in the morning! 2008--let's make it great!! Kat

Laura, you might call and speak to your Dr. or his nurse, and explain why you cancelled the appointment. Oftentimes they will prescribe one or 2 mild sedatives, similar to Valium--to relax you and make the tests easier on you and on them. I do not want to scare you, but there is a reason to do the testing now. Anything that is in the way or perceived by the body to be in the way can cause the body to spontaneously abort---miscarriage. It is very common, but it is also very difficult to deal with emotionally. Maybe make another appointment just to TALK to your OB/GYN. Ask what the risks are, and Why they want these tests now---and if there are less invasive, less painful ways of doing them....there might be---you don't know if you don't ask. I only tell you this to encourage you to be proactive to your fertility as opposed to reactive to tragedy. I know I sound like a Mom, and Hon, this is the advice I would give my own DD. Having lived through cancer of the uterus, I have had many tests with dye---and it is just as stated, a mild crampy feel while the body dispells the dye. If they do not prescribe something for you--and my Dr. always would if ask---and he learned to have it ready for me. He gave me diazipam or something like that---it has been a few years! Some tests---biopsies, I would take the day off and keep my feet up, other things, once the test was over, I was up and going again. Remember it is just like with the band--they must outline the worst possible so that no one is surprised by it. Hang in there, and make an appointment to talk with them about it all before giving up. 77 degrees! It is snowing out here....and a balmy 29 degrees! Fire is a blazing, because my granddaughter hates wearing pants!!! BBL~~ Kat

Thanks Freckles, Wendy did a complete unfill and then refill last time I was there, so I know the amount is accurate, possibly if I can have a tiny amount in it will reactivate the band and start me losing again, I need all the help I can get. Other than that I need some stress in my life that always tightens the band, perhaps I'm just too chilled out after my holiday.

Hello All I haven't had a good day. The stress is mounting as I am trying to finish my diploma coursework, have a new job with so much school preparation etc and a 10 year old that is behaving like a teenager! Bl***y hormones! Stress really made my band very reactive today at lunch time and it wasn't pleasant believe me! I had to come home from school as I couldn't stop heaving. Finally, after about an hour I lost my boots and am now feeling a little better. But it was awful. I agree that it some days one thing will go down really well and other days it may be quite the opposite! Just a complete nightmare. Wish I hadn't got out of bed!! Anyway, upward and onward - come on Marine don't let the side down. Have a good evening all.

cool! I am apparently in need of some oxytocin. If you don't know what the heck I'm talking about, it's that bonding hormone that women release when they're getting support from each other. It calms down your stress reactivity, etc.

Well I am three days out, and am pretty excited about the new life ahead. I finally decided to go the surgeon when I was getting no where with my Primary Care Physician, I knew what I needed was for my blood work to be done on a constant basis for me to be able to control my diet. I felt like things would be in line and then get out of whack I could tell because how I felt. It all was centered around my period as well, so I could never get to a good place on eating. I was constantly feeling bloated and PMS(craving all the bad things). She finally agreed to do blood work one month two following, She was amazed at how drastically some of my numbers fluctuated, I have always had low Iron, but one month we took it and it was in the middle of the normal category for Iron and then right back down. I finally realized it might take the rest of my life to figure it out and instead of fighting it(plus taking the time off work for doctor's appointments I work 30 minutes away from my nearest doctor.) I would just use the tool available to help me get to where I need to be and enjoy life. I never considered it as I would be a failure in not being able to lose the weight on my own. Something finally flipped and once I went to surgeon I have never felt that way. The process on getting everything approved was fairly simple. Until my Thyroid test came back as Hypo??(I think) REALLY????? I had wanted this to be a problem years ago to give me hope and a reason I couldn't control my weight. SERIOUSLY......All this and now a Thyroid issue. Which was checked everytime my PC did my blood work. I went on medicine and once again it was back to normal in a month so I could go forward with a surgery date. So now here I am about to have the surgery and a new beginning.

These are some of the Abbreviations commonly used on this site. ACL = Anterior cruciate ligament AGB = Adjustable gastric banding AMRAP = As Many Rounds As Possible (crossfit) BB = belly button bc = because BCBS = Blue Cross/Blue Shield BED = Binge Eating Disorder bf = best friend BM = bowel movement BMI = Body Mass Index bp = blood pressure BPD = Borderline Personality Disorder or Biliary Pancreatic Diversion bs = blood sugar btw = by the way CBT = cognitive-behavioral therapy CC = common channel c diff = clostridium difficile cos or cuz = because CPAP = continuous positive airway pressure CRNP = certified registered nurse practitioners cw = current weight CXR = Chest X-Ray DDD = degenerative disc disease Dr. = doctor DS = Dumping Syndrome or Duodenal Switch EGD = Esophagogastroduodenoscopy EKG = Electrocardiography ff = fat free GERD = gastroesophageal reflux disease GI = gastrointestinal GNC = General Nutrition Corporation store GP = general practitioner or family doctor HBP = high blood pressure hr = heart rate hw = highest weight ICU = Intensive Care Unit Idk = I don’t know IMHO = in my humble (honest) opinion IMO = in my opinion IUI = Intrauterine insemination LAP Band = Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Band lol = laughing out loud LSG = Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy med = medicine MFP = my fitness pal msg = message NASH = Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis nf = non fat NG = Nasogastric NP = nurse practitioner NSAIDS = Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug NSV = non-scale victory (“scale” means “weight scale”) NUT = nutritionist OA = Overeaters Anonymous omw = on my way Onederland = a magical place or destination for those trying to lose weight. It might correspond to attaining a weight in the hundreds or losing a hundred pounds. op = operation OSA = Obstructive sleep Apnea Oz = Australia PB = Productive Burps PCOS = Polycystic Ovary Syndrome PCP = Primary Care Physician PM = private message (email) PMS = premenstrual syndrome POSE = Primary Obesity Surgery Endolumenal postop or post–op = post-operation or post-surgery PPI = Proton Pump Inhibitors ppl = people preop or pre-op = pre-operation or pre-surgery PTSD = Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder PVC = Premature ventricular contractions RA = Rheumatoid arthritis RH = reactive hypoglycemia RN = registered nurse RNY = Roux-en-Y RTD = ready to drink RYGB = Roux-en-Y gastric bypass SADI-S = single anastomosis duodeno–ileal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy s/f or sf = sugar free SG = Sleeve gastrectomy SIPS = stomach intestinal pylorus-sparing surgery smh = shaking my head, scratching my head SO = significant other SOB = shortness of breath sw = weight at surgery tmi = too much information TPN = total parenteral nutrition TT = tummy tuck TTC = trying to conceive Ty = Thank you. [but according to the urban dictionary “Ty” is also an abbreviation for “a total stud with a massive carrot”.] u = You UGI = Upper Gastrointestinal VSG = Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Vit = Vitamin wks = weeks WLS = Weight Loss Surgery WOD = Workout of the Day w/o = without wt = weight

Well, Here I am! New to all of this and hoping I can meet new friends and different opinions on this whole new life! My life changes started when I learned that I had developed Diabetes, along with already having High blood Pressure and hypo thyroid. Along with my mother getting sick and having to go to the hospital and when I rode in the ambulance with her, I couldnt even buckle the seat belt! I was soooo embarrased! I made an appointment with Dr. Shroder and went in January of 2013. As required, I had to get a nutrionionist consult, a psychaitric evaluation, and letter of support from my Family Practice Doctor. I completed all of this by the end of April this year. All information was submitted to my insurance company, and within several weeks I was approved for surgery! No problems! The insurance company covered it 100% other than the 250$ a night I had to pay out of pocket. My surgery was scheduled for August 12, and was I excited! I had preop work done the end of July. Surgery date came and I was at the hospital by 7am. Of course I had bad veins and it took a few sticks, but finally got the IV started. I was wheeled into the OR at 9am. By 1pm I was out of surgery and back to my room. I do remember being in some pain in Recovery room, but hey, they were well equipped with drugs to keep me happy. I never had any extensive pain while I was in, just being a little uncomfortable. My doctor has his patients in the step down unit to ICU, so there for I was under constant nursing supervision the whole time. I had the BEST care at my hospital and dont regret a thing. I stayed a total of 2 days, and then went home with my JP drain. Yes, not too pretty, but hey, it was only in for a week. Totally painless to remove. I have 4 incision sites, that are just a light red now, 2 months post surgery! So, Please, take this step for surgery if you are considering it! Totally worth it!

Chelly, how do you manage your reactive hypoglycemia?

In general, the three most important elements after RNY gastric bypass surgery are to meet your daily protein, fluid and vitamin requirements. So a problem in any of these areas could cause your symptoms. For example, a lack of B12 can cause this. But since you got your labs back and they were good, that indicates that this may not be the problem area. Another type of problem that could cause this is reactive hypoglycemia. Here is a link that describes this condition. https://www.ridgeviewmedical.org/services/bariatric-weight-loss/enewsletter-articles/reactive-hypoglycemia-postgastric-bypass/

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/expert-answers/reactive-hypoglycemia/faq-20057778 Talk to your surgeon, I've heard this can happen to a lot of us after surgery.

I am 5 months post op sleeve and 2 weeks post op Gall bladder removal. Just wondering if anyone who had wls and Gall bladder surgery takes any enzymes or made any major changes to diet due to not having a gall bladder anymore. I like to be more proactive than reactive.

Make sure you have a dose of anti-nausea drugs available around 30 minutes before your leak test to avoid nausea from the taste of the nasty stuff you have to drink. Your throat will be dry which may make you more reactive to the liquid. Also have a dose before you go home just in case.

Ya know, I often have a similar feeling... but for me it's after I let myself go too long between food. When I eat after that, I crash... and almost always require a short nap to recover. I'm not the most experienced hypo, though, lol, by any means. Hopefully the others will have some advice!

ok - so I have a question for all you hypo's (thats sounds funny) Ive noticed that this strange thing happens to me when I eat only protien for Breakfast (like a meat patty, egg, etc. - when NO sugar/carb's are involved). About 30 minutes after I eat, I start sweating, get all shakey, my energy level drops dramatically(like from a 10 to a 0 in seconds) Im so weak I can barely make it to a chair. Only way to get going is to get sugar into my system. But whats odd is that I always drink 3-4 cups of coffee for breakfast with lots of cream and turbinado sugar. With that much sugar in my coffee, I cant imagine my blood sugar dropping just a couple of hours later... ??? My mom is a diabetic (I know, I know - it runs in the fly) and yesterday I had this "episode". Mike happened to be home and quickly ran to mom's to get her monitor. I TRIED to not consume anything until he got back, but ended up having some Cookies. Approx. 10 min's later is when I checked my b/s level - and it was 83. Im not calling the pcp for this (at least not right now)... cause I KNOW I can control it with diet (which has been HORRIBLE lately). I just wanna know what the heck it is.

THANKS FOR YOUR INPUT DJHOHR. I LIVE IN SOUTH AFRICA, AND LIVE ON A DISABILITY GRANT OF R1500 EQUIVALENT TO USD 109. I NOW HAVE ABOUT 5 DIAPERS LEFT FOR THE MONTH. I HAVE TO SAVE THEM FOR WHEN I HAVE TO LEAVE THE ROOM I LIVE IN. I CANNOT JUST GO BACK TO THE HOSPITAL, THEY DO NOT ALLOW IT. MY OP WAS DONE DUE TO NON ALCOHOLIC FATTY LIVER DISEASE. I WILL SEE MY DIETITIAN IN 2 WEEKS TIME. IF I HAVE ANY PROBLEMS SHE WILL CONTACT MY DR. I WILL ONLY SEE HIM IN 2 MONTHS TIME. THE HOSPITAL I HAD MY OP IN IS A STATE RUN FACILITY, A VERY GOOD ONE AT THAT. BUT DUE TO THE MASSES OF PATIENTS YOU CANNOT JUST WALK IN THE FRONT DOOR. INKOSI ALBERT LUTHULI HOSPITAL IN DURBAN. MY SURGEON IS VERY GOOD, BUT OVERWORKED. DUE TO NOT HAVING MONEY FOR DIAPERS, I AM RUINING THE CLOTHS THAT STILL FIT ME. I CANNOT GET THE STAINS OUT OF THEM OR EVEN MY BEDDING. THEY FOUND POLYPS IN MY STOMACH TOOK A BIOPSY OF THEM AND MY LIVER BUT THE RESULT ARE NOT IN YET. I ALSO HAVE REACTIVE LYMPH NODES IN MY GROIN THAT HAVE NOT YET BEEN BIOPSIED. I AM HAPPY ABOUT THE WEIGHT LOSS, BUT THE PROBLEMS ARE PILLING UP AND TAKING THE JOY THAT I SHOULD BE FEELING AWAY FROM ME. I AM BECOMING VERY DEPRESSED.

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 have grave's...which is from hyperthyroid. At first I lost, then gained a bunch. My weight went up and down. Surgery...the band has helped so much...and I make sure to get my levels checked every 4 mths. I take my meds like I should(most of the time) which really helps. Having a thyroid disease can cause your weight to go up or down...whether your hypo or hyper. Everyone is different.

If you still have some of the anaesthesia in your body, being in a hot shower or tub can reactivate it and cause you to feel faint.

I have not been banded and am in the "hurry up and wait" period. I have a hypo thyroid and have been medicated for the last 10 years. Yes it is with me for life, but as long as I stay medicated it will not cause weight gain. Have you been banded?? Are you on levoxal or the generic?? Have they regulated your meds yet?? It took years to get mine to where I was not on too much or too little. Hope this helps..Kimberly

I was hypo before surgery, and still am. It has not "decreased" for me; I am still on the same dose of synthroid as I was before surgery, which keeps it under control.

I would not worry about the weight loss as much as the damage an overactive thyroid can do. Mine is underactive (hypo) and I have lost 90lbs since Dec 2008, so I think I am doing pretty well with a slow thyroid.