ProudGrammy

@up4challenge
you are at low BMI, (33) this does make a difference
in how quickly you will lose weight. this is not a race,
don't compare yourself to OP here that lose at a
faster/different rate of time.
it looks to me that you aren't eating any food!! don't be
scared to eat, of course you are hungry. no food/no
energy!!
MUST up your calories!! eat more food. this probably
sounds strange to some newbies - but it's a proven
fact that OP have said.
i'm sorry you are still having problems drinking
your Water. You must must force yourself
to drink moire fluids. (easier said than done)
sometimes drink water at room temp works for some
OP. try it. other liquids like crystal lite are good.
"they" say you can go without food for awhile,
(if you must-but of course that's not good to do)
BUT you can't go without water!!
you have lost 11 LBS pre-op - 60 lbs post op - that
is a great amount of weight - butttt please eat and
drink more. (especially the drinking)
take care
kathy

hm734 i know exactly what you mean about trusting yourself with certain foods
in the past 8 months i have not had one sweet, sugar, candy etc. not even a bite.
unfortuanately many candy stores have now had to lay off people or have totally gone out of business

@mi75
hey bud
Peek a Boo, I see you!!
don't write that often, but i'm still here
huggggggs
kathy

hello bariatric buds
I wrote the above phrase on the previous page on January 29th - fast forward 2+
months..................... new day, new world!
funny/sad how things can change. 8 months ago, i started Peritoneal Dialysis-
done at night while i sleep, no problems through the procedure, sleep like a log!!
(DH says i still snore LOL) dialysis causes a Water "situation" . i am now 13.3 lbs
over my GOAL of 130. I know its just water weight, but it is gradually effecting my clothes. Life is good - dialysis keeps me going - don't like the water weight gain. It's
a trade off.
I'm still cute as a button!!🤣
good health is all that its cracked up to be.
7+ years sleeved, I'm still standing!!☺️
kathy

@Healthy_life2
oooooooh , beautiful pics
don't really travel much
if i had a pic to post
it would me getting up to to get a glass of water
few minutes later, walking to the bathroom
remember, what goes in, must come out🤣
kathy

I feel it's time to tell me story as best I can and hopefully it will give the new comers some hope and take away their worries or anxiety about surgery.
Okay I have a very dysfunctional childhood and I think maybe subconsciously I turned to movies and food as a way to cope until alcohol came along but all those things combined made me gain weight massively in my teen years.
As a child I was tiny but after my father passed and my stepfather came in the picture; he was a tyrant; life changed dramatically.
Anyway fast forward to the end of high school I had reached over 250lbs and by 21 I was 320lbs and my weight fluctuated over the years between 300-320 until I finally found a way to get bariatric surgery..
I always believed surgery was for the rich people and I was never rich... But I found out randomly that health insurance would cover most of surgery and I'd never had health insurance before because here in Australia we have an amazing Medicare system that covers pretty much everything to do with doctors and hospitals except for elective surgery like bariatrics; unless you're like super morbidly obese and even then it can take 3 years and numerous hurdles....
So I researched and researched for months and months and spoke to multiple surgeons offices until I found the perfect surgeon; I needed to get health insurance first then do the waiting period which I used to save up the gap and that gap covered absolutely everything from first meeting until surgery and hospital was covered.
I met the surgeon and his doctor and got information and told them I wanted ROUX EN Y BYPASS; and we all agreed that was the best decision as I had bad type 2 diabetes and it would only get worse.
I weighed in at 322 there and then and I just wished and hoped the surgery would help me to get down to at least 200 maybe 190; I just wanted to be healthy and happy and of course to look better and feel better in myself.
Anyway from first consultation until the surgery day was about 4 months had a few meetings with surgeon and he does a very direct approach no need for all the tests and stuff just my medical history and some blood tests and a big discussion was about it and he was ready to go.
I was advised to do at least 2-3 weeks low carbs/protein shake diet before surgery and to try lose at least 10lbs; but I literally woke up one morning 2 months before surgery and decided there and then to kick start my journey and started on Protein Shakes and I actually found a brand and flavor that I actually loved. It tasted just like chocolate milkshake even though I only used Water to mix it up
i tried a few different brands but they were either too bland or no taste at all I like flavor and I like a little sweetness in my shakes... And I've been using the same shakes in bulk powder form for months without any issues at all...
So I started on shakes and they literally filled me up and I was determined to show the surgeon I meant business.
i was amazed how quickly the weight came off because I was ONLY on shakes Max 600cal preop; I dropped so much water weight it was amazing.
By surgery day I had already dropped from 322 to 257lbs and the surgeon was so proud.
i went into the hospital early without only water that morning so my sugar was actually low so they made me wait a few hours longer and I went in to surgery I think 3pm and next thing I know I was awake in ICU a few hours later and surgery was done but oh boy was it painful for me; I'm not sure why but I was in pain for like 2 days luckily I was given good drugs through the IV and slept most of the 2 days...
By the 3rd day I started drinking a small glass of Protein Shake and was sipping water each day; here in Australia the surgeon is very cautious so I actually spent 6 days in hospital was fine I had my own private room and bathroom and was really well looked after.... By the 3rd day they finally took the drain out and I had a shower for the first time and a BM which was like sticky black green like a baby; oh the shower felt amazing on my poor sore belly; I think I had 5 incisions sites and a very tight bloated belly.
Each day I would walk the halls of the hospital and say hello to the nurses and other times I would rest and watch TV but by like the 5th day I was feeling really good and was ready to go home but because I lived over 2hrs from the surgeon and hospital they made sure I was 110% fit and healthy; they checked my blood sugar and blood pressure multiple times a day and they said everything was fine, by the time I left the hospital they had taken me off multiple medications and it felt Great.
The ride home in my mates car was a little rough but it felt Great to be home and in my own bed my big bed not the single bed in hospital...
It's hard to remember everything I went through its been over 8 months since I left the hospital but I do know I was still a little sore when bending or carrying shopping bags for the first few weeks I had to be careful.... Showering was amazing my bandages on my incisions came off on their own after like 3 weeks.. I was given a guideline diet but Ive always been a strong independent personality so I just chose to do things my way; of course I was glad for the surgery and the surgeons advice but I felt is my body; my life I need to do it my way so maybe I was lucky but I didn't even think about food for months like literally I lived off shakes and yoghurt for months before I really started actual food and of course the weight kept coming off everyday it was amazing.
For the first 3 months I think I was on maybe 500cal a day with next to no carbs or sugars... I didn't feel hungry at all... Shakes kept me going...
Every couple of months I had to buy new clothes, I couldn't believe how much I changed one month to the next and people who hasn't seen me in a few months were shocked ever time they saw me....
i never kept it secret from anyone; I was proud of my decision to finally change my life and possibly extend my life, I was enjoying the complements and I was lucky I don't think I stalled for more than a week and I never had any complications at all except for diarrhoea BM for a while and sure I threw up a few times when trying different things or eating too quickly...
i started drinking regular coffee by 3 months and my surgeon said it was fine as long as I don't get dehydrated.. I was drinking tea as well and by 6 months I actually decided to treat myself here and there with some sugar free energy drinks and it has not impacted me or my weight loss one bit.
Now I'm over 8 months out I can eat most things just small portions; I've even had bread a few times just have to take it very slowly... I've had Pasta a few times and even had some chocolate over Easter without any issues at all and still continued to lose weight...
i will admit recently I've had some treats here and there but that was once I got in to maintenance mode...
I've pretty much been in maintenance now over 2 months and pretty much sit around 165lbs but just this week I've seen 163lbs on the scales...
i don't log my food much now but I do keep a mental tally of my calories and such and I do still check my weight regularly to make sure I'm doing well..
i had the RNY bypass and it was 120cm and it was amazing; I've had a blast and I've lost pretty much 50% of my original weight.
FROM highest of 322 to the lowest 162.8lbs just the other day....
i felt the need to share my story everything has been positive for me. It has totally changed my life and transformed my life and the way I see myself... I'll be 36 in 3 weeks but I feel better than I have in 20 years...
i want everyone to read my story and see it is possible to have the BYPASS without any issues and also my 3 months blood tests were perfect so no issues with Vitamins either just have to remember to take them everyday..
The one issue I will say was my hair did get thinner and would grow slower but never fell out.... I'm sure in time it will get better
I've gone from being the FAT friend to the SKINNY friend...
i look and feel amazing and my BMI has gone from 43 to 22.
I've dropped 159lbs or 72KGS in 10 months including my preop...
From 146KG to 74KG and below every goal I thought I wanted.
I don't mind because most people will bounce back 10-20lbs anyway plus when I do start to build muscle that will add a little weight because right now I'm kinda skin and bones LOL feels weird saying that about myself but its pretty good...
I'm really hoping I'll meet someone soon and start a family and live a long long life 😁😁😁
So if anybody is curious about RNY BYPASS don't be afraid...
Success is possible!!!!
A few pics before and after

I feel for ya. I'm sort of in the same boat. My weight loss has largely flatlined in the last year with a pound or so lost here/there. Then with COVID stay at home orders, I got a little lax. Maybe too much snacking. Maybe too many sweets/bread/etc. Gained 7 lbs. When I saw that on the scale I was shocked and ashamed.
So, last week I just went back to basics. Focus on Protein, low carb, etc. I started logging my food again. But the biggest thing was that I realized if I didn't start the day out right, I had trouble controlling my cravings. So, instead of my usual Breakfast routine, I started doing Protein Shakes. These seem to keep me satisfied until well after my normal lunchtime and no snacking/cravings! So far, I've lost 2 of those pounds!
My advice: go back to basics. Do what you did during your early weight loss phase. I considered a "pouch reset" diet but didn't think I needed to go that drastic. If these 2 lbs hadn't come off in the last week, my next step would have been to buckle down and do that.

After discussing it with Doc, I am getting the bypass surgery, no reflux issues.

Thanks for posting this. there are very few people on this board so long after their surgeries, and many of us wonder what it will be like in the long term. Your post is a valuable reminder that this is a lifetime change in our lifestyle and relationship with food.

Yep...my surgeon said he took off a whopping total of 400g (thats less than a pound), and i had an arm lift, breast lift AND Tummy Tuck.
I definitely LOOKED better though.

The fear of regain is what motivates me daily. So many people say that WLS patients start regaining weight around the third year post-surgery. I know four people who had WLS ten years ago, and three of them regained -- one 40 lbs., another 60 lbs., and the third about 100 lbs. Only my former roommate stayed at 125 lbs. and it's a bit of a miracle because she eats pretty mindlessly -- but always stops when she feels full.
I had my one year WLS anniversary five days ago and that is when I changed up my game. Before this, I eyeballed my food and exercised a little and the weight came easily off. But now I am logging and weighing everything, and am exercising daily. I really don't want to regain. That's my motivation.

I still measure/weigh food at five years out. I don't trust myself "eye-balling" portions. My only motivation at this point is that I know how hard it is to lose regain (been there....), and I do NOT want to be obese again. I've put WAY too much work into this...
just so you know, what you're experiencing at about a year out is not unusual - many of us DO start to lose motivation at that point. But you can keep going if you put your mind to it and continue to work hard.

Look at everything you're putting in your mouth like be careful of carbs. Sodium. Fats.
I did little exercise but walking and stationery bike and lost over 150lbs..
With RNY BYPASS..

Hey everyone!
I will be 1 year post op July 18th and right now i'm kind of lost. I'm down 101 pounds so i'm very happy about that. 😊 I just need the motivation to exercise and be motivated. I feel like i'm at a stand still and my next goal is 30 more pounds. What gives you motivation to work out and just all around motivation? Also how much do you eat? My surgeon said i need to measure everything i eat still. I just serve a little bit and if i dont finish the food i throw it away..

I inadvertently started doing it around 3-4 months post op as I hated eating in the morning (i was never a Breakfast eater, even pre-op). Around this time I was able to eat more at a sitting, so i didn’t need all day to get my food in anymore.
I implemented a no eating after 7pm also, so ended up with a 6-7 hr-ish eating window.
I still eat this way today most days.

Great. Thank you so much! I just need to learn to quit stressing out!

If you're having issues with it, then probably - a lot of people have had those removed the last few years due to complications and have gotten the sleeve or bypass instead. But if it's not bothering you, I'd be tempted to ask for his rationale.

I had my lap band done in 2007 and have kept my 108 lb. loss to date. Now my doctors are saying I should have it reversed to a sleeve.
Is this recommended now?
Joan in Oregon

why does he/she wanting it out? are you having issues? I think the dr's that are doing this is just trying to make more money.... (my opinion)
My two cents, for what it's worth..... Leave it alone if you're not having issues. For one, getting a revision paid by insurance is damn near impossible for those of us who followed the rules and didn't gain all the weight back. I was banded in 2009 at 232#, ER band removal 2017 at 143#..... started looking for a dr to do a revision and was told over and over again..... You don't weigh enough. fast forward 2.5 years and hell trying to keep the weight off i was up to 173#..... and trust in the fact that it was hard not to gain more... i went hungry, diet pills, lax., went to crossfit 4-5 days a week and still..... and for people that say... just eat like you did when you had the band..... F U... it's is damn near impossible to do that. Two weeks after the band was gone.... hunger came back with a vengeance. I had forgotten what "hunger" felt like.... well it sucks.
So after 2.5 years of nothing.... i had my mind set that i was going to Mex to have the MGB.... but as luck would have it i found a dr. 10 min away from my office. He and i talked and he agreed to do a revision... but i had to agree to the sleeve and pay 14k out of pocket.... which i did. that was 38 weeks ago today (8/28/19). Went in weighing 173#.... today i'm at 126ish...(125-127). From a size 10 to a 2-4
Do i miss my band..... EVERY DAY. Do i wish i still had her.... EVERY DAY.

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Please I need no judgement or I told you so or anything that comes off as a micro-aggressive.
Hello I’m Halle I’m 22 HW: 381 CW:358 GW: Healthy - Sleeved: June 15, 2020 TX
I have depression, anxiety, 420 friendly, anime lover, etc wanna know not up here you can ask!
I feel like I’m in crisis, for one I know that this is not a easy fix, takes times etc. I don’t need a lecture I just need someone to vent or ask questions. I have been doing ok at first but I’ve hit a painful stop the gas pains are debilitating and nausea has me throwing the towel I have a phobia of vomiting just pretty much a hypochondriac when it comes to health. I am on the full liquid diet but all forms of Protein won’t settle and lactose feels like land mines as soon as they are in my stomach. My question is does it get better? Did you bend the rules and do what your gut says? My surgeon and nurses have been dismissive and lack of emotional it’s like as soon as they got paid I’m my own problem no access to immediate help, support or nothing. My family and friends had made it hard these first week by being unsupportive and insensitive but that’s another story. I would love to have some people to chat with and get real with.
Thanks for reading and sorry for coming off rude but after reading a ton of post it’s been a headache.

@TXDS
hey bud
keep up the good job. you are aces!!
kathy
congrats

Im no longer just alive, im actually living now. This was an experience ill never forget and i cant wait to go again. This has always been one of my goals but i was too heavy to do it. Making dreams become reality. Im loving this whole process.

Elizabeth21 thank you for that. I saw myself starting to obsess more as the process became closer and closer to my date. I weighed myself every day and the disappointment in gaining was devasting at times, even when I knew I did nothing to lose. Right now I am eating my first cauliflower steak. It is very good. I feel I need to be more in plan mode for my meals and exercise needs encouragement as well so thank you.
NovaLuna I CANT WAIT TO FEEL THAT LOOSER CLOTHING.This is the heaviest I have been in my life. I am trying to mobility issues and depression from a dog mauling two years ago. Actually I have therapy in ten minutes .thank you again

I just rejoined the page yesterday. I read through many forums which are great! I wanted to add one to see if it can inspire me to be more successful in my preop and postop weight loss. As we all know the journey is hard just to decide to go through the process .for the surgery in the first place. What have you thought or started doing to help your life change to lose weight and keep it off? They say it takes 21 days to rewire the mind to break a habit. Today I am started with not eating after 8pm.