My RNY Gastric Bypass Surgery

[DeletedMember 715]

Hopefully you are almost through this stall. Keep fighting, I enjoy reading your story.

The inability to take NSAIDS is a major concern for me. I've stopped taking them the last 5 weeks in preparation, and am able to manage the day to day with Tylenol, but I am concerned for the joint replacement surgeries I'm headed for, not to mention the daily issues like what has happened to you. Ugh.

[DangerMouse007 105]

Hopefully you are almost through this stall. Keep fighting, I enjoy reading your story.

The inability to take NSAIDS is a major concern for me. I've stopped taking them the last 5 weeks in preparation, and am able to manage the day to day with Tylenol, but I am concerned for the joint replacement surgeries I'm headed for, not to mention the daily issues like what has happened to you. Ugh.

It is definitely something that doesn't seem to get highlighted too often. I have a degree in chemical engineering, but apparently somewhere along the way I never knew that Tylenol and Advil were not the same thing. At the informational seminar when they told us about the Advil/Ibuprofen ban, I really didn't think anything of it. "Oh, I'll just take Tylenol if I have pain." Oops!

That being said, I do not regret my surgery at all. I love the weight loss, and just having the ability to run, walk, and lift weights again like I did when I was younger. It is just aggravating!

[DeletedMember 715]

Have you talked to your doctors about an alternative like Celebrex? When I spoke to my doctor about this he mentioned that if needed I could consider Celebrex as an alternative. From my understanding Ibuprofren is a COX-1 inhibitor and Celebrex is a COX-2 inhibitor. The main advantage of a COX--2 inhibitor is a much lower incidence of ulcer. But, I'm no doctor. Just a thought.

[DangerMouse007 105]

Weight Loss

Finally started seeing some movement on the scale this week showing that I had lost four pounds since last week (which was my weight for nearly 7 weeks). What a relief...just hope it keeps going. I'm only about 10 pounds away from another one of my personal milestones now.

The funny thing...and I really don't know if this is any kind of real correlation...was my need to urinate a lot right before I noticed some of the weight coming off. My last stall was in November, and I remember a few days after Thanksgiving I had a night where I had to get up to go to the restroom at least 2-3 times. I've not had that happen in recent memory (although this was my earliest indication over 10 years ago that my blood sugar was way too high; just not the case now). Same thing happened this last Saturday night. I didn't drink any more or less than I usually do, but my sleep was interrupted at least a couple of times to get up to go to the restroom. Whether that is some correlation or not, I have no idea.

Running Assessment

The local hospital near where I lived sponsored a free running assessment seminar this last Saturday morning. Since it was free, I went ahead and signed up for it to see what kind of tips I need to help get in shape for my first 5K in a couple of months.

In a way, I kinda wish I hadn't gone.

They had a series of different stations testing your flexibility and strength. They had us run on the treadmill to get a chance to look at our stride, etc. They also had a foot expert to help us determine what kind of shoes were best.

At each station, they had scores from 0-3 with 3 being good, and 0 being...well, not so good. I scored a 0 or 1 on all of the different stations. It turns out that my leg strength is terrible especially in my glutes and hamstring. They did, of course, go into, in length, all the different exercises to help build strength in those areas stressing the idea of doing "dynamic" stretches before the run and stationary stretches after a run.

I really did walk out of there feeling a bit dejected. Maybe I wouldn't have felt so bad if each of the people manning the stations could have told me their assessment privately rather than in front of a group of people waiting to go next at that particular station. Either way, I did not feel good at all about my running future after that.

However, even though there's a part of me that wished I hadn't gone, I'm very glad I did so that I can get back on that horse and get working on improving my flexibility and strength.

Sleep Apnea

This subject might be a bit controversial. Ha ha ha!

Last year I had to do a sleep Study for my surgeon. Of course, it was determined that I had sleep apnea and had to use a CPAP machine. My sleep study was in March, but I didn't get my machine until late May. I used it pretty religiously in June and July before my surgery, but I still wasn't getting the great sleep that most others said they had after getting the machine. I was only getting about 4 hours of sleep before and after the machine. I went back to the doctor in late July before my surgery to see if I needed any adjustments, but they didn't recommend anything, unfortunately.

After my surgery in early August I basically stopped using the CPAP machine. I tried going back using it in December, but I just didn't take to it that time either. Lately, especially in the last 2 months, my sleep has been much better. Whether or not the machine would have helped that even more, I have no idea.

Last week I received a call from the medical equipment company to call them back. I called them on Monday, and they told me to bring my equipment in to "swap it out". Turns out it wasn't to swap it out, it was to return it because I wasn't using it. Oops! I remember them saying that they could monitor my progress with it, but I never really thought much about it. Turns out they were monitoring my usage and decided to take it back. Yikes! Big Brother in my own bedroom!

So it's gone. I don't know if I'll have another sleep study done. The one last year was mandated by my surgeon. If I go, it'll probably have to be if another doctor asks for it, or I go by myself. I don't think I'll be going in on my own.

[DangerMouse007 105]

Yikes! It's been well over a month since I updated this, but then I was once again in a prolonged stall. When I last updated on March 23rd, I had gotten down to 275 pounds. This morning I was down to 270, but it was a long time in coming, six weeks in fact. And that's not a pound a week or anything like that. That was me being 275 last Wednesday and being 270 today. So frustrating! Ha ha!

I was talking with a friend here at work...same person I've mentioned in the past in this and other threads...who was sleeved in April of 2014. He went from 470 pounds down to 160 pounds since then. I ran into him a couple of weeks ago, and I was telling him that I was in this really long stall. He told me that he refused any stalls he was in; he tried whatever he could if he didn't see the scale move. He suggested doing the "metabolism" kick or whatever you want to call it. That's where you eat the same thing, morning, noon, and night for six days, then just eat whatever you want on the 7th day. Something about giving your metabolism a bit of a shock on that 7th day.

One of my employees does that same thing. He didn't have WLS and probably never will, but he eats four eggs for Breakfast, and then chicken and broccoli for lunch and dinner EVERY day Monday through Saturday. Then Sunday his is cheat day: pizza, steaks, fried chicken, donuts, chocolate, cake, muffins, whatever.

It's not something I've tried because I hate the idea of eating the same thing like that, but who knows.

By the way, something I've noticed in the stalls I've had so far, is that my waist seems to show signs of getting smaller before I see the scale move downward. I didn't have any movement on my waist starting back on February 1st until last week. Granted I only moved one hole on my belt, and my shorts look mighty big on me all of a sudden, but it was something.

I would love to lost another 5 pounds to get to my next milestone of 265 by next week when I head home to Texas, but I'm not holding my breath especially how slow things have been going.

[DangerMouse007 105]

Ugh! I'm one pound away from my 3rd Personal Milestone. One friggin' pound!!! Please don't stall on me now!

[sixthgrandking 10]

Thank you for your posts. I am a newbie, signed on today for the first time. Just read your posts and it's very inspirational. I went to my seminar March 9, 2016. Had my first personal visit to the doctor on April 4, 2016. At that time I weighed in @402.7 lb. my all time high was 419 in Sept of 2014. I am on a weight lost journey. I am required to go to nutrtion classes once a month for 6 months. My first class was may 23,2016. I weighed today and the scale read 385.9!! Losing weight is great!! Yay us!!

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

[DangerMouse007 105]

@@sixthgrandking No problem. Thanks for reading and fighting the good fight.

[DangerMouse007 105]

Milestone #3: 265 pounds - Achieved!

I am beyond emotional at the moment. I have hit my third personal milestone tonight!

265 pounds is what I weighed entering my freshman year in college in September of 1993. I went on to lose another 30 pounds or so (my next milestone) using weight lifting as my phys ed requirement and running 3 miles a day twice a week throughout that school year.

Looking back, it took me 5 months to lose 35 pounds from my second milestone at 300. And most of that was in February when I lost nearly 20 pounds!

Man, I'm so proud right now! Overall I've lost 160 pounds (including my 6 month pre-op diet) and 104 pounds since my surgery.

Just simply amazing!

Edited May 29, 2016 by DangerMouse007

[Reno Vegas 7]

Love reading your posts DangerMouse007, very inspirational stuff. I begin my post surgery journey on June 7th!

[DangerMouse007 105]

@@Wirehog Thanks for reading. I appreciate it.

[DangerMouse007 105]

We are in the summer season, and I currently have a planned one week trip to South Padre Island mid-July. That means I've been taking a look at my body and how comfortable I would feel showing skin while on the beach and at the Schlitterbhan Water Park there on the island.

Unfortunately, I'm not all that happy.

My legs are okay, I think. I do have some loose skin on the backs of my upper legs, but it's not bad. That'll get covered up by swim trunks (no speedo here!!)

It's my upper body though that's going to be an issue. I'm at 263 now so I'm by no means "slim" yet. I still have quite a stomach which looks like a deflated balloon right now. I don't see that improving. Then there's my "man boobs" which seem to have gotten much worse than I can ever remember them. I'm going to be horribly conscious of those two things especially on the beach.

I did end up buying a sleeveless workout shirt that I will most likely use to cover up while on the beach or at the pool this summer. I was actually surprised that a 1XL shirt fit, at least in that brand. I only have one 2XL t-shirt I bought in Dallas a few weeks ago that is okay when I stand, not so much when I sit. Ha! Otherwise I wear 3XL t-shirts. But with the sleeveless shirt I wanted something where the arm openings weren't so big that you could see some of the extra skin on the sides of my torso if that makes sense.

My right shoulder seems to finally be healing a bit. I have a little more range of motion. I guess it was something called "frozen" shoulder? I still can't do heavy lifting though. I've lately just been concentrating on my legs. Most upper body lifting still causes me some pain and weakness in my right arm.

Edited June 2, 2016 by DangerMouse007

[carlaG11 14]

My name is Carla! I live in NJ I'm a 35 year old married mother of two. My weight loss journey started in March 2008. My son was one year old and I decided I no longer wanted to live my 300lb unhealthy lifestyle! I wanted to live to be able to see my Son grow and I wanted to be able to play with him and not watch from the side lines. I had my gastric bypass surgery Sept 15 2008. After the usual

Two days in the hospital I was feeling good and diacharged. Only to return to the hospital at 4am in severe pain. I had a leak. Had to do another surgery and recovery was very painful I stayed in the hospital for three weeks. With that being said I would do it all over again. I reached my goal weight of 160lbs within the year. I maintained this weight for 5 years I was a stay at home Mom back then and I worked out full time. 6 or 7 days a week 1 1/2 -2 hours a day! I was determined to make all of my pain purpose full. But as life happened I creeped up to 180lbs and plateau there for months until I got pregnant with my daughter. My weight went up to 230lbs on my date of delivery. With some light exercise, ppd, and anxiety my weight toggled between. 215and 230 until one morning I woke up and the scale said 240! I almost died. I did not come So far to just become morbidly obese again. So on June 1 2016 I began hitting the gym hard again! It's not easy working full time. Caring for my 8year old and 2 year old. And still finding the energy to work out like I used to. But I am motivated to get my old self back. So I have been drinking 2 meals and eating one meal daily for the past week. I have my restriction back! And I'm ready to reach my goals!   

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

[DangerMouse007 105]

The weight really seemed to melt off this week, now down to 259. I'm not complaining...keep going before the next stall!!

My upcoming trip to South Padre Island may end up getting canceled, but in the meantime I realized I needed some better fitting shorts. The 3XL that I've been wearing since I was about 340 pounds definitely do not fit anymore...especially with the elastic waist band! LOL!

It seems I did lose at least a couple of inches off of my waist since the first of February. I'm now down to a 46 waist; trying on that size shorts felt oh so very good! I did try a 44, but I'm not quite there. I would've been popping buttons had I tried to keep them.

I did have a slight bout of depression recently stemming from something personal that has really curbed my appetite these last 10 days or so (maybe contributing to the weight drop off). Strangely I feel like I'm getting fuller much quicker than I'm used to; food that I was eating okay a month ago seems to fill me up much faster. No idea what that means if anything.

[Kmlynne 1]

Thank you so much for sharing your story! I am new here and this has been an inspiration.