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VSG 4/02/19 5’9 CW: 375 Goal:200

Surgiversary for me! Lost 97.9 lbs, size 10-12 jeans, and went to Club Monaco today to try on a top and the sales guy goes "I'll see if we have a large in the back" which on the surface sounds horrifying but Club Monaco clothes are tiny! And the large fit! And then I didn't buy it because while it fit the color just wasn't exactly what I wanted! My friend told me when I started seriously thinking about this that the surgery had changed her life, and I thought she was being dramatic. I no longer think that. Shaking off the constant social "you're fat" pressure has been unbelievably freeing, and other people have noticed the huge change in the way I interact with the world. 10/10 would engage in radical body modification again.

1/14/19 ...struggling

💗 Congrats to everyone in Team February 2019💗

I just got the call today that my surgery is scheduled for April 16th, 2019. I’m so excited! When is your surgery? April 16th What kind of surgery? Gastric bypass Starting weight 247 Goal weight 130

If you weren't given a specific amount to loose like 5% or 10% in my case, you shouldn't have anything to worry about.

Oops I hit the send instead of backspace, but I want to send my very best wishes. Today is my 6 month Surgiversity, hasn't been the journey I booked for, haven't had exactly the results I was seeking, but you know what? Its still good, I'm still betterthan I was. when I started. Fought over 3 years to get my RnY, 3 years 3 weeks to be exact, against what often seemed insurmountable odds. You see I was 72 years 8 months 10 days when I finally received it, many facilities won't accept you past 60, let alone 70+. you're expected to die fat, sick and obese. So I had even more specialists than average to clear me, psychiatrist as well as psychologist, 2 different cardiologists, pulmonologist, sleep study, dieticians/nutritionsists, jumped through every hoop, can't jump high but was successful. Found out some things about me along the way, got confirmation of something I had suspected for years, after hearing God made an error, I was worth living because I didn't fit life 's pigeon- holes , I am Aspergers, a high functioning Autistic, a slightly different motherboard than many but I'm very cool to know. I have wondered literally since adolescence, another of our traits, many of us " rock" on research. But for years the official line was Autistics are male only, thank you Temple Grandin for proving them wrong. We were the silent minority that feel through the cracks, unoticed and underserved Sorry sometimes I got off on a tangent about this, but finding out I wasn't defective, crazy or worthless helped me to finish my journey toward surgery. I am widowed so don't have themarital dynamic but my son , who I call Tomkitten because my original e- mail had kkatlady in it serves as my #1 support and our bouncing off each other is similar. Yes you will still live your husband, and if he is the right guy, he loved you heavy he' 'll still love you thinner . He fell in love with the inner Sneezed not just the covering. Oh there will be moments when you turn into a Ragin Cajun, as the fat melts a lot of chemicals and hormones get released. I'm long past menopause but I had a weepy day once because I didn't have a picture taken right before surgery. Sounds silly looking back, but I was heartbroken at the time, another day I got weepy because I am starting to resemble a dead relative, I couldn't hardly reconize ME in this face. Everybody says your chest is the first place you lose, not me, it was my forearms and wrists, they started looking like a little old lady owned them. But my main advice as you face your surgery, dont look back, that's not the way you are heading. This is an investment you are making in you, your future and your marriage. And he will be so proud of you for your strength in seeing this through. You can text me, PM. me but I am going to be one of your biggest fans, usually the ones questioning before have the best end results. No tears, no fears, You Are Going To Do This and Do it Well. Now Big Smile😝 and On You Go! ❤Frustr8❤

Oh wow! Great article and website. I didn't realize the Dr. Phinney site existed! And mind blown about the explanation about BHOB and SCFA in the colon doing what fiber does for fermentation in the colon (gut biome health)! So our keto needs are different--I don't need to pound down the veg to get the fiber or nutrients. I have been doing this for almost 19 years, and yet, my mind still gets blown daily with info I've missed or maybe glossed over previously! Wow. I went down the Virta rabbit hole after that article to read more about protein requirements. This is a great chart. They use "Reference Weight" or "Ideal Weight" to calculate protein requirements cuz it's based on lean body mass rather than weight that includes fat. So they base this on each ounce of protein has on average 7g of protein/oz of weight. They figure their recommendations based on 1.2-2g of protein/kg of reference weight. https://blog.virtahealth.com/how-much-protein-on-keto/ Here's an example of what that would look like for someone who requires 14oz of protein per day for their ideal weight. (BTW, they differ on their protein reqs from Dr. Fung. They are saying that prolonged fasting when you are not keto adapted is deep-dodoo bad cuz of loss of lean body mass in the first months. 😕 ) https://blog.virtahealth.com/protein-on-low-carb-ketogenic-diet/

Figured I'd start another NSV thread as the other one was started in 2017 and had 69 pages! We all need a place to toot our proverbial horns and get our backs patted for it Toot away!

Okay so I have a job that is fairly physically demanding. I’m on my feet and moving quickly from the moment I arrive to after when I’m supposed to get off because we never have time to get stuff done so we’re always working at least 30-60 minutes extra unpaid every day. Oh yes and our shifts run between 10-12 hours. There are zero options to work a half day and the only time I ever get to sit would be when I sprint across my store to try to take a 30 second bathroom break. No breaks, no lunches. If you want or need to eat, you better do it while you’re multi-tasking doing 3 other things. That being said, all I needed was 2&1/2 weeks off work because I needed to make sure I could make the transition between liquids and solids before I felt “safe” to go back. I was surprised at how easily I was able to immediately transition back to 10 plus hour shifts on my first week back, but I knew that the only way to succeed at this was to let my coworkers know exactly why I need to be uninterrupted for 5-10 minutes to finish a boiled egg. Since I can no longer wolf down a sandwich in under 1 minute in 3 bites anymore, it was important they know why I’ve now become such a “needy eater”

I had gastric sleeve surgery done January 22 2019. I now have a 2x2 hard lump on my lower right rib area. I just noticed it one week ago. Has anyone had this and should I be concerned?

Ok the term I want to use is "Non- Resilience". Oh I had heard about Restriction, it's in the fine shiny Bariatric Folder and other literature. Now today is my 6 month Surgiversity, Whoop Whoop for for me, except I have very little to Whoop about. Those of you who know my story , and most must cause I tend to bounce all over BP like a demented BouncyBall, I have not had a pretty as a picture recovery. My tiny tummy scars are the best of it, sad right? I have had a stomal stricture, jujeneal ulcerations, so many EGJ the Endoscopy/ Hepatology Suite people at Ohio State greet me by name instead of Medical Case #, and they still aren't over, forecast is 2 more at lelast. So here I be, had a PICC line from November 29 to February 26, when my CNP and OSU capriciously ordered it removed. Their excuse, maybe it was an focus for systemic infection, and had caused my pneumonia and fluid on my right shoulder joint. Well Ha Ha to them, there was NOTHING there on all the cultures. Now what? I have a hole in my upper left arm, change the bandaid everyday , still hasn't scabbed over, until then I can't shower unless I wrap my arm in Saran wrap. Right shoulder still sore after fluid removal, may not get better until my plate and screws which I have had for 9 years for a humeral repair are removed. Admitted it would be only be outpatient/ambulatory but " maybe we ought to wait until GI system settles down" Bull feathers, I can't lift anything over 5-10 pounds already. But back to my" Rny which makes me cry" When they removed the PICC line it was Good Luck Eating! Now I have been on a liquid/ thin puree diet for what seems like forevermore. Protein shakes since my Liver shrink back last August, because of the stomal stricture, pureed must be very thin, because Precious Pouch doesn't drain well, I feel she is no longer stomach tissue, more like a Ziploc bag with a tiny pinhole. I was willing to let TPN supply the bulk of my calories and try to add what P,O. foods my pouch would allow. Nope, pull the line, throw me into the Ohio River at flood stage and shout " hope you make it to shore!" At least that's how I feel. Now correct me if I am incorrect , but it seems my VSG cousins with their neat new bananarama pouch, the pouch relaxes and they go from 1/8. to 1/4 to 1/3 to 1/2 cup foods, meanwhile I am at 2 oz if protein or veggies that have had the snarf cooked out of them, in between my perpetual 2 oz cuplet of fluids, calories free drinks. etc. By my year anniversary I will either be insane and dropping or in line with Mousecat singing out " put her back the way she was" oh I have loved the weight loss, the diminishment of my bulky body, but there is a verse in the Gospel of St Matthew, if I remember correctly " What does it gain a man to gain the whole world if he loses his immortal soul?" Have I sold my health for this operation, was the trade- off good for ME? A happy thought, if my orthopaedic surgeon's scale is correct, I now weigh less than Tomkitten my son, this even endengeres fear, last time I dropped a equal amount I ended up in OSU with malnutrition and protein- anemia, and then I I got the PICC line so I could get in more protein than I could PO. I really don't resent to surgery itself as much as the fact I didn't heal right, very disgruntled with my 73 year old body who has been faithless. Will I ever get to the point where I can eat small normal portions of anything?

Even though its not a full 2 weeks, can that change anything? Sent from my LM-Q710(FGN) using BariatricPal mobile app

Hey everyone! I am scheduled to have my gastric bypass on March 19. I am trying to be as prepared as much as possible. What are somethings that you wish you would of had after surgery when you returned home or what were somethings that you were glad you thought of beforehand? I’ve already stocked up on food and protein drinks that I can have after surgery.

I've gone to two. One was my hospital's support group. Totally not my scene. a TON of people and basically everyone just talks over each other. One person will ask a question, 10 people will start answering at once loudly. Then in another part of the room other people will ask questions and several people will answer them. Total f'ing chaos. It makes me so stressed out the last time I went I was sick to my stomach from the stress. I also go to a weight loss clinic run by an endocrinologist with therapists, nutritionists, and exercise people on staff. They have a lot of different weight loss support groups run by the therapists (ranging from just practical how-to to very deep psychological things). They've recently started a bariatric support group. So far, I'm liking that one. It is much smaller (maybe 10 people), run by two therapists who specialize in weight loss/bariatric issues. I also find that this group has more folks who are longer term patients and talk about the real pitfalls of surgery (I suspect it is a self-selecting group - since you have to pay and they're part of the overall weight loss practice, I suspect it is more likely than a general WLS support group to have people who have had problems). The therapists come ready to talk about an issue, but if the group needs to discuss something else, we do that. I wonder if you could try to start a meet-up group just to talk to other patients in your area. I'm sorry you're having such a rough time, and I know it is hard with noone to talk to.

Hun it never stays at my low range. It bounces ten pounds up and down the scale. This is what maintaing looks like for me. The good thing is I know how to keep it in this range lifelong. My clothing still fits with a ten-pound gain. When I work the weight back down its not noticeable. Laughing* Have we become annoying thin people? My eyes would roll when someone said they had 10 or 20 pounds to lose (I wanted to slap them) I had over 100 pounds or more. I now wonder if people at the beginning of surgery are annoyed with people at or near goal when we obsess.

I would be inclined to keep things on the lower end of your range. I did fine at 1100 avg. but that fit my metabolism well. I started about 50 lb lower than you are now, so I only had about 100lb to lose, and was near done at six months (was actually trying to slow things down at that point, and stretch out that last 10 lb loss to avoid excessive overshoot.) Our loss rate tends to decline as we lose, simply because there is less of us to move around all day long - it takes fewer calories to move 300 lb than it does 400 lb, etc.) So, while your loss rate is pretty good now, you still have another 100-150 lb (?) to go, and it is easy to let the intake increase over time as we get used to things (you can likely eat more at a sitting now than three months ago, and that will continue slowly over time) I currently maintain at in the 2000-2200 calorie range. As you have a similar loss rate to what I had, this implies that currently you would likewise maintain in the same range; however, with further loss, your maintenance level will likely be lower, , maybe 500 calories or so lower - all very rough estimates here. But this indicates that you probably shouldn't go any higher than your current 1100 if you want to get down to a normal-ish weight range, and preferably cut it back a bit and go closer to the 800 end of your range. Good luck in your continued success....

Hi everyone, I had the sleeve done on 2/18/19 and I still have terrible pain under my left boob, in my rib cage area. If I cough, I want to cry it hurts so bad. Many say it is where the stomach was pulled at the largest incision, I can believe that. However, am I the only one that has experienced such pain at 3 week post op? Thank you!! Vikki

I had my surgical consultation today for revision, but on the off chance that it is not deemed medically necessary for revision, I do qualify for bariatric surgery in general, repeating all of the requirements as if it were a new procedure. My question is regarding Cigna coverage. Most plans require a monitored 3, 6 or 12 month diet/nutrition/weight loss management through PCP or somewhere similar. Cigna's policy says NOTHING about this, only that "a statement from a physician other than the surgeon, that the individual has failed previous attempts to achieve and maintain weight loss by medical management" - it gives no other requirements or indicators. I called Cigna today to inquire and they couldn't tell me anything more about this. So, for those of you that have been approved in the past few months (Cigna's policy requirements look to be effective 10/9/18 through 7/15/19), what did you provide for this? I have to have a letter from my primary anyway that recommends bariatric surgery. Would this be the same letter or separate? And what did you submit/have your PCP write to say that you had failed previous attempts? Thanks in advance for your help!

April 8th 2019! Nervous!

Dang, you're doing great! I got about 64oz of water when I was 10 days out.

I love the Crabtree & Evelyn oriental range, particularly Ottoman Rose. It's bloomin' expensive - it's the poshest beauty product I own and I love it. https://crabtree-evelyn.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/80432_nocolor.jpg Sent from my SM-G930F using BariatricPal mobile app

My dietician also told me about Blogilates for Pilates exercise. It’s a great free site of YouTube videos by Cassey Ho. The videos r upbeat n the cool thing is u can watch tv while doing them if u use your phone to watch the videos. U can download the free app. Majority videos r free n only last 10 minutes or so. She even has a fitness calendar u can print w designated work out videos per day. So no thought needed. Register w the site so u can get the calendars n then go on your phone and add the videos to your favorites within the Blogilates app. Easy. I can do the videos while I’m watching my favorite tv shows. I just love it. I’m starting the Beginner 28 day calendar today.

Good luck and let us know how it went. I returned to work last Tuesday and managed to pull three 10 hour shifts in a row. It was rough because I’m on my feet the whole time and there is quite a bit of bending low and stretching up, but I was so happy that I managed to do it and being back at work has really helped with my mental health. It’s one step closer to “ normal” and I was feeling like such a slug by not working. I’ve worked about 50 hours a week for the last 30 years. The last time I took this much time off of work was when I had my daughter in 1997.

Hello, had my VS on 02/14/19... I noticed my vitamins just make me feel fuller...