twinRN

Thanks ladies It is pretty cool! Hope you both are getting the results you want too!

I too am loosing hair. I am almost 5 month out. I also had thick hair to begin with, but wow, can't imagine what people with thin hair encounter. I've heard some say Biotin, but I also heard it doesn't work and there is nothing we can do

I am 4 days shy of 5 months post-op from my RNY. I have NO REGRETS (except not doing it sooner!). My highest weight was 217 with a BMI of 38/39. I have lost 62lbs from my highest weight and 53lbs from my surgery day weight. I am loving life. I feel good and look good!! 7 wks after surgery, my triglycerides (fat in your blood, similar to cholesterol) were normal, and my fasting blood sugar was normal. My labs were perfect! I can eat almost anything as long as I don't eat too fast and too much. Now sweet stuff...I can have a bite or two. Like this Halloween, hard to stay away from the candy, but I could have a fun size candy bar and be fine. If I had 2 in a row (I did once), not good. My dumping is a rapid heart rate and feeling a little breathless and anxious and nausea. chicken is a little more difficult because it is not as moist as other food, but I made a chicken in the crockpot recently and with gravy, I could have 4 oz of that. Yummy. I don't have much in the way of hanging skin issues except between my upper thighs, no so pretty, but oh well. It doesn't bother me a bunch and I will try to save to have a "leg lift" eventually. I still have my boobs and they aren't sagging too much more than they were before, lol. I'm still a D-cup although before surgery I really should have been a DD but I was in denial . My stomach isn't so bad but I had a tummy tuck already in 2007 so I think that has helped. I tried to upload some pics but I don't have good before and after pics because I hated my pic being taken and I haven't taken an "official" after pic yet. The after pic was on Oct. 27th. My surgeon thinks I will loose another 20-30lbs, but if I don't, I wouldn't care. I'm very happy with me right now. I was a size 18 and now I am a size 10!

Thanks for the inspiration! I'm 4 weeks out today and feeling pretty good, but discouraged about my weight loss. I've only lost 16lbs . Do you remember what you had lost at a month out?

Nope, didn't lose any weight during the 6 months. I was 212.5 when I weighed in on the 1st class and went up to 217.5 then on my last class I got back down to 212.5. According to my surgeon's office though it wasn't a requirement for me to lose during the 6 months just that it probably wasn't good for me to gain.

I am on day 7 of my pre-op diet and it SUCKS! Sorry to be a downer, but it does. My doctor requires we do Bariatric Advantage shakes, 4 a day with 1cup of vegetables, raw and 1cup of raw fruit and broth. Anyway if the shakes are horrible tasting. It's just a lot of liquid. I'm not cheating except for a bite here and there but rather just not eating much, not drinking the shakes. I'm losing weight, but still this diet is giving me just another reason to look forward to surgery! My surgery is on Monday the 17th.

YoColeFleet...Good luck to you! and thanks From the health problems you said, I would think you would be approved too. What is your insurance?

Just got the call today from my surgeon's office....APPROVED and surgery is June 17th! It took 2 wks to the day to get approved and I have Highmark Blue Shield PPO. I am a school nurse so off for the summer, yay! Insurance covers 100% w/ no out of pocket...so blessed

So I got a call from my surgeons office today and I'm approved!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I wanted to post because during my 6 months, I looked at postings to get hope. I live in PA, and I have Highmark Blue Shield PPO. Clearly I'm totally excited but wanted to share my "stats" like I said so others can compare... My surgeon's office submitted exactly 2 weeks ago and I got the call at 11:30am today that I'm approved! My date for surgery is June 17th! I'm 35, 5'2" and 212lbs so that makes my BMI 38.9 and I was told that is rounded up so it is 39. My insurance is like many others...with a BMI of 40 or higher, sleeve, band or RNY is covered 100% with no out of pocket and with a BMI of 35-39, WLS is only covered w/ co-morbidities. My co-morbidities aren't all that significant, but they worked! I have high triglycerides. Normal is 150 or lower and mine at the start of the 6 months were in the 180's (they were in the 300's but I go them down w/ exercise). My only other co-morbidity is high fasting blood sugar, not diabetes. Normal fasting blood sugar should be in the 80's to 90's, but mine are anywhere from 100 to 110's. Fortunately my PCP and my surgeon gave me a diagnosis for this (yay them:). My PCP documented it as "Impaired Fasting Glucose" and my surgeon said "metabolic disorder". In all seriousness, the high fasting blood sugar is a good indicator that I would have developed type II diabetes so it should count for something. Also as an FYI, I actually gained 5lbs in the 6 months so my highest weight was 217, but I did lose that five lbs for my last weigh-in. I'm a nurse so this all is easier for me to understand, but any questions please ask:) Anyway, I hope this is helpful to others like me that were worried the whole 6 months that they might not be approved. Wish me luck! My identical twin goes for her RNY on 6/3 too so we get to go through the good and bad together!

Why do you have an open wound? I'm a nurse and having surgery in June so I'm curious. I've done a lot with wound care also so maybe I could put your mind at ease with some success stories

I'm pre-op but thought I read somewhere that the loss of ghrelin produced by the part of the stomach removed can make you cold.

I'm in a similar situation w/ BMI, but do have accompanying health problems. My insurance is harder to cover the sleeve than the bypass (stupid since bypass is more drastic, but it's because the sleeve is newer). Good luck to you! Lindsay

That is so true! I didn't think about those 2 points you just brought up. Especially about lying to other overweight people. I'm not a "good liar" and tend to be an open book anyway so I will probably tell people when they ask. Thanks so much for your input and I can't wait to look as good as you!