bakawaka

My loose skin is in my face, not on my abdomen. I have fat cheeks, new lines when I smile, and a line of skin hanging from my neck. I am a 49 year old man, is it too early for a facelift and necklift? Would I look like a space alien after getting one? Or should I just let the skin hang and shake however it wants to do so? Is recovery from a facelift and necklift painful? For those of you who have had one, are you glad you had it? Did you have any complications? How about scarring?

Are you feeling better?

I originally was scheduled for the sleeve but later opted for RNY because of data showing longer term success with weight loss. But whether we choose sleeve or RNY, we still have to change our eating habits. I am very pleased with RNY four months post op. My weight loss is now very slow, but that's okay with me. RNY was more expensive for me than the sleeve (self pay). But it was an investment in better health long term.

I am male. And I worried a lot in advance about the catheter. Truly it was no big deal. No pain. It was inconvenient for walking around. But right after surgery I was grateful to have it.

I am four months post op and already, yes, I would do it again.

Fruits do not cause dumping for me. However, I have chosen never to drink fruit juice again.

My weight loss has essentially stopped after four months. I have lost 45 pounds and I am very happy with the results. But my weight stays the same - so far for one month.

I seem not to have dumping. I ate one entire slice of cake at a Passover Seder. It went down just fine and there was no dumping later. And that scares me. I wanted to experience dumping. I wanted to be forced to vomit or to get dizzy, etched. It didn't happen. On the other hand, I did not gobble down the cake in seconds. I ate it slowly and enjoyed it. And I am not craving it. That lack of craving as well as eating it slowly are very different experiences for me compared to the pre-op world. But I realize that because of the lack of dumping, I will need to exercise free will very carefully.

I had gefilte fish for the past two days (Passover). It is high protein but high sugar. But it is a viable food alternative post-op. If you enjoy the taste (some don't), it is worth a try. It can stay in the refrigerator and act as a fast food. No cooking, minimal preparation.

This was my first surgery. The pain was truly not that bad. Yes, there was pain, but it was truly tolerable. The best word for me to describe it is "discomfort."

I find that I have started eating too fast again - old habits coming back, now that my new stomach is healing. Right after surgery, I was forced to eat slow. Now I have to focus on it. And eating slowly is key.

1/2 cup does not fill me up and that worries me. I certainly eat much less than pre op but I seem to be able to eat more than others. Is this right? Should I at 3.5 months post op be able to eat only 1/2 cup?

I had surgery in November 2012. I have had an adequate weight loss. Weight loss is slowing. My biggest fear is about long-term maintenance. Over the next few years post op, will keeping off weight be as hard as it was pre op? Will the food cravings return? maintenance of weight loss has always been my biggest challenge. I feel fear again because now I am able to eat greater quantities of food. I carefully follow the rules of Protein first, veggies second and fruit third plus no bread/low-carb/low fat. But I anticipate that cravings will return. For those of you who are multiple years post op, what is your experience?

The pain killers gave me very strange dreams.

Starbucks decaf is working great for me.

I have no regrets. In fact, I feel privileged to have had the surgery and hope that others can have it as well.

I originally went for the sleeve but switched to RNY after advice from surgeon. If you like sugar and baked goods, RNY is the best long-term solution for weight loss. RNY is more incompatible with the the consumption of sweets and baked goods. At 3.5 months post op, I am pleased. However, I am nervous about keeping weight off long term. I will have to be vigilant the rest of my life. But I am convinced that I chose the bet option available today and that is RNY. But regardless of what surgical technique is chosen, maintenance of weight loss comes down to learning to make the right choices. Supposedly over time my food cravings will return (post op honeymoon period ends) and I will want to eat a lot again. So I am working right now to establish good habits. I wish everyone success on the weight loss journey.

I mix protein powder with the unsweetened apple sauce.

I am 3.5 months post-op. I have not had any bread for 5 months. I am not craving it. But I find myself starting to think about it. Surgeon's office says many people's cravings return after 6-12 months post-op and to resist eating bread ever again if possible. I agree - better ever to eat bread again. But for those of you who are several years post-op, what are your experiences with bread? I am not worried about losing weight. I am concerned about long-term maintenance. I do feel some fear about craving carbohydrates again. I notice that at 3.5 months post-op, I am able to eat ore food and a greater diversity of food. I have vomited only one time throughout the entire experience. I have experienced dumping only one time. I was hoping for more dumping to help retrain the brain. What are your experiences? All insights are deeply appreciated!

How do you distinguish between true hunger and head hunger? Bin between meals, I find myself wanting a snack. I have an Atkins protein bar. But now I am wondering whether I am truly hungry or if it is head hunger. How do you know the difference? I thought it would be easy to tell the difference, but I no longer think it is.

Another way to think of it: almost everyone, regardless of weight, eventually has sagging skin. Some people have more, some people have less. But it is wonderful to be alive and grateful for the bodies that we have that make life possible. Yes, it would be wonderful not to have sagging skin. But even thin people get sagging skin. I can only suggest to try to be at peace with it. of course, there is always surgery for removing some of it. I have sagging skin on my neck. Some is due to weight loss, some to genetics and some to age. I am at peace with it. I simply decided to be at peace with it and be grateful for the improved health and quality of life that weight loss surgery has helped to create.

I needed three weeks.