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Tapdancin, Of course you can get back on track!! Everyday is a new day! You know what you're doing wrong! Stop it! go back to the basics, do what you need to do, do it right and keep on doin it! The weight will start dropping off again in no time! Yes, as we get further out, it becomes more of us doing the work than the sleeve, but the principles remain the same. Protein first, no snacking, 20-30-20, and exercise! Even if it is just getting 10k steps in a day! You can do this and you can finish this journey proud!! Keep on keepin on!!

Wow! What a difference a year makes! I have been thinking about this day all week. One year... What a ride! Here are some stats: I am 1.1 pound away from being "normal" BMI; I am down 147.8 pounds total (121 pounds of that since surgery); I have lost 83.5 inches (18 inches off my hips ALONE / 12 inches off EACH thigh!); pants size down from loose 28 to 12 or 14; dress size down from 24 or 26 to a size 12. Some of the best NSV's: Buckling airplane seatbelt and not having bruises on my thighs from the plane seat arms; ability to get up and down off the floor so easily; my clothes have stopped falling off hangers; ability to fit in a "normal" robe when I go to a spa or even the doctor; crossing my legs; not sweating all the time; diabetes in remission and no diabetes meds; off cholesterol meds; ability to mow my own lawn without being so exhausted I had to lay down for hours afterwards. I know there are more.... How did I do it? Perseverance. Seriously one bite at a time. I ate poorly or too much, I got right back up and did better next meal - not tomorrow, not next Monday. My keys to success: Therapy and logging my food daily and having occasional checkups with my NUT. (It is good to have someone look over my food logs and say "careful on that, or try more of this"). I really think therapy though is my number one tool. I had some breakthroughs just this week in how I saw food and will continue to see this therapist for AT least another year if not longer. Oh and I cannot forget the support I received from friends and family. Were it not for those cheering me on and yet still staying out of my business (i.e. not constantly saying "should you be eating that"), I do not think I would have been so successful. And of course this incredible website. Without the advice and the ability to rant and read others experiences here, I would never have been able to do this! What do I eat: deli turkey, cheese, blackberries, blueberries, apples, tuna, pork tenderloin, lean ground beef (less than once per week), turkey sausage, turkey pepperoni, LOTS AND LOTS of chicken (grilled, boiled, fajita style, rotisserie, baked, roasted, etc etc), cucumbers, avocado, green olives, mushrooms, onions, occasional slice of bread (a few times a week), triscuit crackers (limiting myself to 2 or 3 at a time), did I say cheese LOTS and LOTS of cheese. I still have 1 Protein shake per day (30g protein) to make sure I get to my protein goals. I eat around 100 - 120g protein per day / 60-80g carbs / 45-55g fat - total calories 1100-1300. (I have been averaging closer to 1000 this last 2 weeks and I need to be sure t get those calories UP because I am ready to stop losing weight.) I cook for myself, so it is much easier to manage I am sure than others who cook for families. What didn't change: I am not one of those people that have SO much energy they cannot stand it. Nope. I am still a fairly lazy person. I hate that I am but it is true. I watch too much tv still and I still don't enjoy exercising really (and don't do it as often as I should). (I mostly walk and it is nice to know that I can go on a 2 mile walk without a lot of effort but I don't get that HIGH from exercising some talk about.) I want to be healthier and I will keep working on that part but I will never be a marathon runner or CrossFitter, etc. I still struggle with making food choices. The struggle is much easier than it used to be (most things don't even cross my mind to eat anymore) but I still crave salty Snacks. I give in sometimes but I am working on the addiction part of that. Not because you cannot have salty snacks but because it is an ADDICTION for me. And yes - I have loose skin. LOTS of it. My butt and boobs took the worst hit. You cannot see it when I am dressed and it isn't as bad as I thought it might be, but I am going to have it fixed. I am planning my first of plastics for this fall. I took money out of my 401K to pay for it. I do not need to be perfect, but I want to be able to wear sleeveless shirts and some shorts without being uncomfortable and I need my butt and thighs to be reshaped so I can fit in pants (which are tough to buy right now). I had some struggles in the beginning - I had a stricture which we didn't figure out until 3 months post-op so I was constantly vomiting. I stayed nauseas until 6 months post-op. The constipation is probably the very worst part and it has only really resolved in the last couple of months as I have started to incorporate more Fiber in my diet. (It is tough to get fiber in the beginning.) I thought I was a SLOW loser (average 10-12 pounds per month). I know now that isn't slow. It is just right. My best advice to people starting this journey - DO IT! Seriously - just do it. Just work the program. Use the tools - all of them - therapy, logging, NUT, restriction, Vitamins, exercise. STOP comparing yourself to others!! It will derail you! (PLUS I just don't buy into the "I lost 40 pounds my first month") This is your journey. No one else's. Everyone's journey is different and comparing yourself to others is defeating mentally. GO SEE A THERAPIST! Please... accept that you have a food "issue". I will buy that some of you don't but let's be honest, the overwhelming majority of us have food "issues" and until you face that fact, you cannot learn how to start to move past it. HANG IN THERE - just keep moving forward. You are going to be stunned when you look back a year from now... My journey is not over. The hardest part is just beginning - Maintenance. I have lost weight before but never kept it off, so this is the real test. Can I do this for the rest of my life? I truly hope so. I have a great head start by having developed some great new habits and faced some of my food addiction issues that I allowed to derail me in the past. I have some big changes in my life coming up job-wise and it is going to take discipline to make it work. I will keep seeing my therapist and keep my eye on the prize!

I had my 1 year post-op visit with the surgeon today. She was thrilled and declared me "normal" BMI! Wow! I never thought that would happen and certainly not only 1 year from surgery! She also said I had lost 100% of my excess weight and look great where I am. I lost 150 pounds since my very first appt with surgeon last January. 130 pounds lost from 1 week liquid pre-op diet to today! AND she said she had no issues with me going ahead with plastics!

Do You track your food on something like myfitnesspal.com? You have done really great losing weight so it might not be a problem for you. And the calories you consume are good. I wouldn't worry about it unless you've started to gain weight. Just relax and enjoy the ride.

Another entry so soon? I plan to start the Atkins diet tomorrow. Looks like so many people lose weight before their surgery. I guess shrinking my liver is a good thing. I never knew my liver got heavier, etc. I am so ready for this. I am anxious about the insurance. Even though I planned on being self pay, when they told me my insurance would cover it I was very excited. I'd hate to have to pay it all now and David would not be happy. I won't let anything stop me..........not money, not anything.

Nothing wrong with asking here, but the subject is definitely one to discuss with your obstetrician. He/she may want to consult with your bariatric surgery practice (the RD, perhaps), in which case get them connected. As an innocent ignorant bystander, I'd say that proper nutrition for your baby comes first and weight-loss is secondary for the time being. Thanks for sharing your happy-lovely news. All the best to you.

I am 3 years post-op RNY gastric bypass surgery. After surgery I was given a maximum weight lifting restriction. Since it was so long ago I don't really recall the limit but it was around 10 or 15 pounds. That restriction went away fairly quickly. I think by the time of the first follow-up meeting where they removed the stitches after surgery, they eliminated this weight limit. The weight limit was in writing and most companies will honor the weight limit due to recovery from surgery. It means that certain tasks cannot be performed until you are healed. If you work in surgery, I would think most hospitals would comply with this requirement.

Oh my. So sorry you're dealing with all of this. Please keep us updated! My symptoms were vomiting nightly and daily, discolored stool, mucus in stool and massive leg cramping at night from no potassium or magnesium in my system because of the malabsorption. It took the docs WAY too long to diagnose and thus I suffered for 8 months. To the OP: The discolored stool is a big indicator of gallbladder or pancreatic problems. It's due to malabsorption. Rapid weight loss can cause gallstones and gallbladder attacks so definitely keep an eye on this and let your surgeon know. Wow, I'm so sorry. That is horrible. Are you ok now? Gosh, it irks me to know that your doctors took so long to diagnose you, especially when your symptoms are obvious indicators of a possible gallbladder problem. The same thing happened to my mom; she kept having weird bowel movements and back pain, which went misdiagnosed for so many years. Her doctor kept saying it was IBS, but she just wasn't convinced. Several years later, the back pain got much worse. One night, her back started hurting so badly that she was in tears (my mom barely ever cries, so I knew something was really wrong). My sister called 911, and she was rushed to the ER. Sure enough, it was her gallbladder. Her surgeon said that she was one of the most difficult procedures he's ever had; definite top 5 most difficult. He said her gallbladder was completely rotten, and as if it had been rotting for 10-20 years. He said it's a miracle that her pancreas was not affected. After her gallbladder was removed, the back pain went away. For years she dealt with that back pain.

Yes, The gallbladder caused Pancreatitis, Diabetic Ketoacidosis (I wasn't diabetic, my gallbladder failure caused my pancreas to virtually stop) and low functioning kidneys. When they took out my gallbladder the surgeon said it was so scarred that it has adhered itself to the surrounding organs. Ugh. My symptoms were vomiting nightly and daily, discolored stool, mucus in stool and massive leg cramping at night from no potassium or magnesium in my system because of the malabsorption. It took the docs WAY too long to diagnose and thus I suffered for 8 months. To the OP: The discolored stool is a big indicator of gallbladder or pancreatic problems. It's due to malabsorption. Rapid weight loss can cause gallstones and gallbladder attacks so definitely keep an eye on this and let your surgeon know.

I'm a 36 year old female and was banded on 1/27. I have lost 65 pounds since then and am just over halfway to my goal. Due to chronic tonsilitis, I am going to have to have a tonsillectomy in December. I was wondering if anyone has had to undergo this procedure after being banded. If so, can you tell me how it went for you? I hear that it is incredibly painful for adults, so that is something to look forward to. My surgeon has said that I will need to get a complete unfill which makes sense. I know that I won't be able to eat after the procedure, so I'm not overly concerned about gaining weight during this time. I think my biggest concerned is "starting over" with the fill process. I have (possibly unnecessary?) concerns that it will somehow be different. Just curious to hear any applicable stories. Thanks!!

Hello I had my surgery done two years ago and meet the requirements through a army hospital. At time of surgery I loss weight and was down to a BMI of 33.8 and I had two co morbidities. Fast forward to today and I need a revision because my sleeved failed( doctors error). Tricare denied me and my appeal because I don't meet the civilian standards from my original surgery. I meet them now though but because at the time of surgery I was under BMI. I am going to do an external appeal because I need a revision. Any help on what I can do or add to my appeal would be great. Also if you had an external appeal with Tricare could you let me know how the process was! Thanks

I had BCBS of LA. I gave a 5 year weight history also. I think if you were consistently overweight then that is probably enough. It is showing a patter of moving upward and not slowly down. The person who would know more, though, is the insurance people at your surgeon's office. I can assure you they have submitted someone from your insurance company before, and will probably know about what you will need to qualify. They knew right away at my surgeon's office exactly how long it would take form my approval with what I gave them. Bottom line is, don't worry about it. Send what you have, because you can't change the past weight history.Good luck.

My insecurities may seem a little silly but I've never had surgery before and I just don't know what to expect. What happens the moment you arrive and until the moment you leave? Am I the only one embarrassed about my weight and afraid to get be nude in front of a group of strangers? Your input would greatly be appreciated.

First 42 lbs is fricken aswesome. So, congrats. I think as we go thru the process and see how little we eat we think the weight should melt off. But stop and think about previous diets you have been on... I am sure you have heard about starvation mode. Your body is going thru starvation mode. It is holding onto that precious fat for as long as it can. Keep following the program and it will come off... it has to. Just wont be as quick as you want it to. Make sure you are getting 60-90 grams of protein a day and drinking all your water and getting your water in and I promise the weight will come off. We are a society with a we want it now mentallity and unfortunatly patience is key when it comes to this process. You are doing great!!!!

My doctor wants me to start strength training along with the cardio I have been doing at the gym. Now that I am down 50lbs she doesn't want me getting tons of loose skin and she says it will help me keep losing weight. Any suggestions on what machines to use? Never done anything but cardio machines and I don't wanna be doing the wrong machines...thanks!!

I don't know what the issue with it is, it was written in Comic sans size 12 there's no cursive so i'm re~posting it in Arial size 18. If you can't see I don't know what else to do no one else has said they cant read it. Sorry in advance if this is long and I ramble a bit, I just need to say something's out loud and I am hoping you all understand and don't mind me talkin' :} My surgery is scheduled for next Tuesday the 19th in Las Vegas with Dr. Thomas Umbach. I have been on my pre surgery diet for a few days now and am finally doing ok and not wanting to attack and steal crackers from a 2 y/o who was eating them as he passed me by on Sunday....lol I have been soooooooooo freaking emotional the past week, i'm sure part of it is the lack of food, caffeine, nerves about surgery and being that time of month didn't help. I have only had 1 surgery before and it was foot surgery so I know everything about this surgery is going to be very different. When I had that surgery I did not come out of the anesthesia very well made me very nauseous and I was looped out for several hours. I do have my fears that something will happen to me during surgery and I won't come thru it. But I trust my Dr and his experience with doing this surgery. I would be stupid to think there are no risks or complications (I usually see all the bad before the good has a chance to peek thru) I think my biggest fears are how will I do with the anesthesia & the "not knowing" what to expect (like how much pain I will be in, how hard it will be to drink, how i'm going to handle new things for the 1st time after my new tummy) I know I will lose weight and I have already made up my mind that I didn't get this big over night and i'm not going to lose it all over night either. My goal is to lose 10lbs a month and become a healthier better me, to get off the insulin, have less pain from my arthritis, fibro & nuropathy. I have never really been one to exercise but I have been walking as much as I can and I have already gotten things started with a personal trainer and a program once I am cleared for exercise and until i'm cleared I will continue to walk and get my stamina built up. I want to say THANK YOU to Alex Brecher for this website and for making it possible for people like us to talk to others who know where were coming from and understand our feelings. The staff here have been awesome also and to A LOT of the members here who share there journey & photo's with the rest of us. Who give us support and are willing to answer questions (even dumb ones....lol) give us a kick in the pants when we need it and the courage to keep going. I have learned so much from reading post after post, my daughter thinks i'm crazy because I "take notes". I hope at some point I will be able to help someone else out and inspire someone to keep plugging along and take the steps needed to become healthy and happy :} Thank you in advance if you read this, I do appreciate you all. I just needed to say it all out loud I guess and I only have a few supporters that I can talk to without judgement and cruel words. Thanks again, Katrina :} God bless all those who have upcoming surgeries. I will be looking out for your stories & updates.

There is a type of low blood sugar problem that can occur after gastric bypass surgery. It is called reactive hypoglycemia. Here is a link to the condition. https://www.ridgeviewmedical.org/services/bariatric-weight-loss/enewsletter-articles/reactive-hypoglycemia-postgastric-bypass Generally this problem begins to occur several months after surgery. Since you are only a week after surgery, I suspect this is not the cause. These are the symptoms of hypoglycemia: An irregular heart rhythm * Fatigue * Pale skin * Shakiness * Anxiety * Sweating * Hunger * Irritability * Tingling sensation around the mouth * Crying out during sleep As hypoglycemia worsens, signs and symptoms may include: * Confusion, abnormal behavior or both, such as the inability to complete routine tasks * Visual disturbances, such as blurred vision * Seizures * Loss of consciousness If you were diabetic and taking medication for the condition, the medication might be driving your body into hypoglycemia. If so this is a sign that you need to cut back on the diabetic medicine. But if you were diabetic then you probably have a glucose meter and could test to see if your hypothesis (low blood sugar) is a correct one.

You might have to be crafty to find the Protein sources that will work for you. I noticed amazon does feature lactose-free products, and I'm sure your local Vitamin Shoppe or GNC or Bariatric pantry have products that will do the job. http://www.amazon.com/Plant-Fusion-Supplement-Chocolate-Pound/dp/B0021FAITU/ref=sr_1_3?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1367872766&sr=1-3&keywords=lactose+free+protein+powder I was looking at plant fusion and it has good reviews. I used to make Protein shakes with lactaid to eliminate some of the lactose, but I am not really intolerant, but our nutritionist said that many people for some reason become lactose intolerant after surgery. Other than that, if you can tolerate soft food, perhaps look into Quinoa as a protein source. Do some research, it looks pretty good, and of course there is soy. Sorry to hear you are having trouble eating. Keep working at it, little by little you will hopefully make progress. As tough as it is, this period is where you will lose most of your weight and as it gets easier to eat, the loss will slow down, so it actually works in your favor. Look at this as a positive if you can. Good luck on your journey!!

It's not swelling that causes the extra weight after surgery, it's all the Fluid they pumped into you to keep hydrated. Most people see this extra weight disappear within a week or two. I almost always see it go away for people within the first week. Don't sweat it, the weight loss is coming very, very soon. Just stay hydrated, that's critical at this point in your healing, and hang in there!

On Tuesday I had a revision from a band to a bypass. I am extremely swollen and actually weigh 9 pounds more than I did the morning of surgery. How long did the swellinglast for others before you saw actual weight loss. Thanks!

My sister will be graduating from Pharmacy school in a few months. She knows her stuff. Here was her recent take on the new "wonder" weight loss drug Alli. This made me crack up!!! And kind of disgusted me all at the same time! --------------------------------------------------------- Public Service Announcement : Weight Loss & Alli Warning: This is graphic but someone has to tell it like it is. The news companies and pharmacies are too afraid. After hearing some non-pharmacist friends talking recently, I decided to write this blog to help everyone out. Alli is a great new diet pill that is proven to work and is available over the counter. You can lose up to 50% more weight using Alli than just by diet and exercise alone. Great, huh? No. Alli makes you poop your pants. Alli's marketers hide this by using the term "fecal urgency." You will have "oily discharge" throughout the day. When you fart, you will shoot out oil. When you start taking Alli, you have to bring an extra change of clothes. When you take Alli, according to the patient information brochure, you may recognize what's in your poop as the oil that is often on the top of your pizza. This statement disturbs me. First it implies that you look at your poop in the toilet and say, "Hey! I recognize that from somewhere!" Second, it implies that all fat people eat pizza and not just pizza, but the greasy, nasty kind. Third, why use the pizza analogy?? A simple "it looks like fat or oil" would have sufficed. Personally, I think Alli's marketing writers should be fired. And this still happens when you are following the "rules" and only eating the recommended 15 grams of fat per meal. If you eat more than that, may God be with you. Here is a scenario of what will happen: You eat: A turkey sandwich You: Poop your pants You eat: Low fat chips and salsa You: Poop your pants You eat: A salad You: Poop your pants You eat: A salad with ranch You: Poop your pants all day and will probably have to sleep on the toilet You eat: Taco Bell You: Poop you pants for days, and probably will get fired because you skipped work. You'll have to quit if you did go because everyone saw you poop your pants. You will also need to buy a new collection of work pants and maybe a new office chair. So instead of buying Alli, maybe you should buy stock in Depends or the Tide To Go Pen stain remover. Just a tip from your neighborhood pharmacist.

You probably lose the weight from everything running right through you before you can absorb anything from it! Ewwwww

I've been banded for 2 years now, and have not had many problems other than heartburn occasionally. I've lost 80 pounds and my band has been completely unfilled for about 8 or 9 months because I had a tumor removed on my salivary gland. I've even lost weight with my band being unfilled because my stomach is shrunk, so I don't really have a reason to get it filled. Anyways, yesterday I ate some shredded wheat for breakfast and it gave me the worst heartburn I've ever experienced in my whole life. It was stabbing pain in my chest. I kept burping and that helped, but today I'm sore and my stomach is hurting where my band is. I figured I needed to do liquids for a few days to see if that would help. Has anyone ever experienced this before or have any suggestions?

Hey everyone, So Im so excited I got the call yesterday for the date. I got next week to visit with my surgeon to start my pre-op diet. I have read so much, I know no amount of prepping will really get me prepared but Im ready. I enjoy exercising.. I cant wait to get back to it. Have any of you took measurement before ? to compare. I used to scale everyday then switched to measurements when I didnt like the scale. Hoping I have over success and balance. Dr's office said my goal weight should be 168-170.. Im currently 250.. I already know I may lose alot of my women figure hoping I can preserve some with squats and in house exercising. My family is supporting me and ready for this just as much as I am. I have my husband and 3 children. Good luck to everyone, and keep up all your hard work.

Congrats, my bypass is scheduled for Feb 23rd. It was for the 16th but my GI revealed H-Pylori. My starting weight was 290 and now im down to 271. My goal weight is also 165-170 and I too am married with 3 kids. I never took any measurements but I plan to do so to get a accurate figure of weight loss. Good luck to everyone on your journey and road to a healthy/better life.