PdxMan

If you do a search on the site for Winthrop, there are a lot of threads.

I'm surprised your urologist has never heard of this issue and didn't offer any advice. Did he check your husband's testosterone levels? This is one of those things that tends to snowball. I know it did for me. I had a very similar story to your husband, though I was a few years older. I was having this issue and to compound things came the mental aspects of performance anxiety, which my urologist believed to be the main, continuing factor. Shortly after my VSG procedure, he did a testosterone test and sure enough, my levels were low. The reference range is somewhere between 350 to 1,200 and mine was 120. I also had what was discovered to be a benign growth on my ejaculatory duct removed. Having this procedure and being on TRT (testosterone replacement therapy) has been the difference maker for me. My levels are monitored and have stayed steady in the 600 range. I was hoping with my having a normal BMI, my levels would return on its own, but it hasn't happened, yet. The TRT may be attributing to not returning on its own, so we will be looking at titrating off. That is my story. Sexual issues with obesity are common, from my research. It could be physical or it could be psychological and most likely, a combination of both. You are correct in thinking it is not about you, because most likely, it isn't. I would suggest finding another urologist because there are many things that can be done including a cystoscopy. Google it. It isn't as bad as it sounds. But surely your husband knows there will be many benefits to lowering his BMI, including benefits in the bedroom. Have you had him read this sub-forum or others here?

The basis for the straw thing is that some people, when sucking through a straw, may also swallow air when they drink. Perhaps they begin the sucking motion before their lips hit the straw ... maybe they don't filter the air out and ingest the air. Also, so folks with a straw drink large amounts quickly. As you can imagine, these scenarios would cause discomfort. Myself, I do not have either behavior, so I have been fine drinking through straws. I think if you are careful, you can use a straw. If you find discomfort after using one, then you should refrain from its use. But if you find you do not ingest air when using a straw or have the ability to moderate your flow of liquids, then you should be fine.

CarolinaGirl is absolutely correct. If you have any questions or unclear about your doctors instructions, you should be contacting them directly. Not just about this pre-op phase, but for EVERYTHING. You should never be unclear about your doctor's direction and if you are, ask them. This sounds very similar to the lean and green I was on for 2 weeks pre-op. There really shouldn't be any confusion. It is exactly as you state. Here was my day: Wake up, get ready for work with a Protein shake Drank Water in large amounts all morning For lunch, a Protein Shake Afternoon was a water drinking bonanza For dinner, it was a salad with veggies and (choose 1) chicken, shrimp, ground turkey (taco salad) About 8:00, I would have another shake Rinse, repeat ... day after day ... after day. Sure, it got old, but I had a greater good in mind and knew I was getting my body ready for this life altering procedure. You can do it, too. I'm not going to lie and say it wasn't difficult at first. I did have a piece of my daughter's birthday cake on the second day, but that actually helped me to focus even harder. About the 5th day, I hit my stride and was fine. Don't overcomplicate things. It really is as simple as what I stated above.

As Chelly mentioned, B12 is a sublingual, meaning it is put under the tongue. B12 is one of those Vitamins which is absorbed in the stomach, not the intestines like most nourishment is. The removal of 85% of sleever's stomach's or the small pouch used by pass limits the amount of surface area for which the B12 absorption process can occur. I have read that lap-band folks do not usually suffer from B12 issues which would make sense since they have the entirety of their stomach, so normal B12 absorption can take place. If they are having B12 issues, they either had them pre-op or are not consuming foods in a quantity which can satisfy the body's B12 needs. Underneath the tongue just happens to be tissue which is able to absorb B12, so that is why you see B12 as sublinguals. You are not to chew or crush these, but just leave them sitting under the tongue until they naturally dissolve.

I was very religious with my biotin/vitamin consumption. Now, I have hair growing in areas I never wanted hair growing. Believe me. And ... like I'm sure you have read ... it didn't prevent the hair loss. I still went through it and now ... eeesh.

I have been fortunate to not have any issues with reflux. Had it terrible pre-op. But I believe, for me, eating slower, chewing ridiculously well and waiting and evaluating how I feel in between bites has something to do with it. I no longer rush my meals as I did pre-op and I don't eat before bedtime, which used to always cause me problems.

The server size you would be ingesting is just so low is why I was wondering. I think you just need to find whatever works for you to get your liquids in. For me, plain Water was intolerable, but I was able to drink Gatorade (undiluted). I wasn't worried about the sugar as I knew over the course of the day, in the grand scheme of things, it would be minimal. I was sleeved, so I don't know what the tolerance levels for dumping are, but I can't imagine a Gatorade would set off a dumping session, but that is merely conjecture. I agree with you, the sugar-free or sugar substitute stuff is just plain nasty. With my restriction, I can't get enough of it for me to worry about, so I don't.

Why would you dilute the Gatorade? I drank it regular. I couldn't handle regular water. No matter what the temperature.

I know ... Isn't it funny. An article totally unrelated to WLS, yet, this step just rings so true. As I mentioned above, the whole article just struck a chord with me and was hoping it may resonate with others.

Someone sent this link to me today and I think it is spot on, for me, so I thought I would share: https://reliantbh.personaladvantage.com/syndication.jsp?module=section_040&subtopic=10002707&category=10000006&resource=10006870

What was your expectation? When was the last time you lost 20 pounds in one month? You tell us ... are you doing something wrong? Are you following the guidelines your Dr gave you?

I was outpatient, so I think they have a bit of a different level of anesthesia for outpatient vs knowing you are going to be in a hospital for a spell. I was discharged at noon and back to my hotel for a 4 hour nap. Woke up still a little foggy, but took my wife out to dinner and then walked around for a while. I was in Vegas (baby!) so I sat down for a few hands of blackjack, so I was clear enough to win about $40. The next morning I took what only could be described as the most incredible shower of my life. Felt like I rinsed off all the fog and then I was off to the races. Walked no less than 5 miles all around Vegas.

I agree with BigGirlPanties. Try different liquids, too. Gatorade, tea, soy/almond milk ... different temps ...

Maybe I am naive because yes I was expecting to see a change every time I get on the scale, at least in the first 2 weeks while I am still on liquids. Apparently I am wrong in my expectations....I am still learning! I do understand what a stall is and to be honest it scares me a little bit. As for not putting the scale away, my doctor told me to weigh everyday and record our weight. No, you are not naive. A lot of folks come into this thinking everyday the scale is going to show a loss and are shaken to discover that is not how this works. I know it is exciting at first to see the scale moving, but this is not like other diets you have been on. Your body is going to go through periods where it retains fluids. If your body is functioning correctly, it will also go into somewhat of a starvation mode where it tries to retain body fats as it thinks you are stranded on a deserted island somewhere and needs to conserve. My initial question was what do you define as a stall? I ask this, because this is something else where our expectations are greater than our reality. Is a stall where the scale doesn't go down every day? So, if I don't lose weight for one day, is that a stall? For 3 days? The week Aunt Flow drops by? What does that mean, anyway ... don't lose weight ...? Is that what I am here to do? Lose weight? Not me. I wanted to lose fat and the scale only measures weight, so right there should tell you the scale is useless. What I know is that my clothes were fitting better and I could tighten my belt by a notch. That is what I wanted. Weight loss is not discretionary, by any means. You will lose fat AND you will lose muscle. So, are you so willing to lose weight that muscle loss is OK? You are going to have to eat and exercise to lessen this cannibalistic process of weight loss. It's funny. It was a post very similar to yours which made me go from weighing daily to weighing once a month. About 1 month post-op, I read a thread from someone writing in all caps about how they had gained 0.3 pounds from their morning weigh in. They lamented how they knew they would be a failure at WLS, too. I knew I had the ability to go over the edge like this, so I went to only weighing once a month. When I did this, I always saw a loss and was always encouraged. The bottom line is, deep down in your heart, you know that if you follow the guidelines tightly, you will be consuming fewer calories than you are burning, therefore you are going to lose weight. If you accompany this with exercise, your efforts will be well paid off. Just keep doing the right thing and pay attention to how you look and feel. That is what matters in the long run, isn't it? Ditch the scale. It lies.

Oye ... 9 to 5 at this time in favor of having height displayed. I don't see how any good can come from this and only gives folks another method of comparing themselves ... something I feel strongly about. It's like giving an alcoholic and empty bottle of booze. The only thing they can do with it is beat themselves up with it. *** Removing my height information from the profile ***

Can you tell me what you define as a stall? Also, what are your realistic expectations for your weight loss process? Do you really expect to see a loss EVERY time you step on the scale? Have you searched the site for the word "stall"?

I know we are all very focused on our individual weight loss journeys. I know for me, it was a rollercoaster of highs and lows emotionally. Physically, the changes can seem daunting as we embark on exercise routines which find ourselves being screamed at by an over the top Zumba instructor. Some days, mentally, I am drained. I believe it is important to stay focused on ourselves early out. This is our time. We have committed to making a fundamental change with our relationship with food. At times it has been easy for me to slip into a funk. I become restless, irritable and discontent. Someone wiser than myself suggested to me that when I find myself suffering from R.I.D., it is time to make a gratitude list. I focus on the things that I am grateful for in my life right now. It doesn't have to be a task which occupies you, but I do recommend actually writing them down. They can be things as simple as being grateful for having a full tank of gas, or having a comfortable chair. Don't be surprised to have your thoughts hijacked by negativity while working on your list. Try to re-route your thinking to things you would be sad to not have in your life right now. Keep this list handy and review it before you go to bed adding things you see fit. This can be a tough journey emotionally and I have found this exercise keeps me focused on the things in my life that are important. If you are not sure how to do this, Google Gratitude List as there are many different methods for doing this. Religious folk may take a different tack than an agnostic. Men will also take different approaches than women, young versus old ... Type A personalities will believe they are on everybody else's gratitude list ... ;D ... giggle, snort Take care and don't forget to love yourself.

Yeah, I can get so involved with everything going around me. Trying to make everything run smoothly with the spouse, kids, work and other civic responsibilities I have, yet I forget that I need to have myself on that list. Not only do I need to be on that list, but I need to be a top priority. But when things start getting hectic, I am often the first to get de-prioritized. Then, everything else suffers. It happens unconsciously. But, I have been working on a little thing I call "pause". I stop. Take a deep breath and meditate, focusing on what the next right move is. If I find myself really spinning, I make a gratitude list. It always helps to right-size my thinking and settle my RID. And yes, the A-type personalities ... I'm on your gratitude list ... RIGHT!!??

The only thing to come from comparing yourself to others is disappointment. Besides, you really can't compare yourself to anyone, anyway. Do you know if they were athletic and have a muscular base? Do you know if they have any endocrine type issues? What about their weight loss history? Did they do a pre-op diet and how much did they lose? There are so many differences that it is impossible to compare, so just don't do it. Just stick to your program as best you can and you will get results. Stay off the scale and keep doing the next right thing.

Yup, as mentioned, my wife made me an embankment of pillows in which I nestled into. I am not a back sleeper either, so with the pillows and an afternoon nap in the recliner, I was able to get enough sleep to get by until I was able to sleep on my side. That was probably two weeks post.

Thanks @☠carolinagirl☠ for posting that. I read this thread last night and was going to post that exact photo this morning, but you beat me to it!! You know what drives me crazy? When people get upset at people who post the whole a pound of fat is the same as a pound of muscle, thing. We all know deep down what the point the person is trying to make, that the volume of a pound of fat is greater than the volume of a pound of muscle, yet there are those who choose to jump up on a box and scream A POUND OF SOMETHING EQUALS A POUND OF ANYTHING ELSE!! These are the same people who don't get the joke asking who is buried in Grant's Tomb. We all know there is a simple miscommunication, so let's be adults and understand the intent, not the slipup of meaning. But alas ... this will once again be posted as such a couple months from now.

I did a search on the site and found THIS: http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/306289-three-year-follow-up-apptl/?hl=%2Bkaiser#entry3458401 BTW, awold0, I have sent you a couple PM, but it shows you have not read them yet ... Doing OK?

Are you taking Biotin? I was and this happened to me, too. Embarrassing at first, but I have found having it waxed a wonderful solution.

My Dr cleared me for exercise 6 weeks post-op. You have to give your body time to heal from the surgery. As far as telling people, the first person I told gave me the old, "Why can't you just eat less and move more?" line. After that, I realized people are going to judge me and my lifestyle choices and I saw no reason to put myself out there for public scrutiny. I told my wife and kids and also my sisters in law as they were watching my kids when my wife and I flew down to Vegas (baby!) for the procedure. I did tell the rest of my family two days before, "Hey, just want to let you know I'm having Bariatric surgery Friday." and told my wife's family 2 months post-op. I told each set this was a private, personal decision and I would appreciate their support, not judgement. That was the end of it. Now, almost 3 years post op, I have the information and the results to give me confidence to hold an intelligent conversation with anybody on the topic and so I do not keep the procedure private anymore. When people asked me before, as to why I was eating so little, or how I was losing weight, I would truthfully tell them I am just cutting my portion sizes down and exercising more. There is no lie there nor lie by omission. I do not need to tell them I have a tool helping me with my portion control. Just like when someone asks me if I am going to have any more kids, I do not need to explain to them I had a vasectomy. I don't have to explain my lasik surgery, my hemorrhoid surgery, my ... This does NOT have to put out there for public discussion.